NC/RC/NWA Capt. Harold Eugene Thibault

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

Military veteran, NC/RC/NWA Capt. Harold Eugene Thibault

November 17, 1933 ~ August 12, 2023

 

Notice of passing …..commercial airline pilot with North Central Airlines/Republic Airlines/Northwest Airlines….. Captain Harold Eugene Thibault, age 89.

Obituary information is available online at

https://www.billmanhuntfuneralchapel.com/obituary/Harold-Thibault

PCN memorial site

 

Harold Eugene Thibault Obituary

Harold “Harry” Eugene Thibault, age 89, of Shoreview, MN, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 12, surrounded by his loving family. Harry was born on November 17, 1933 in Eau Claire, WI, the son of Joseph Francis and Mary (Horan) Thibault. He moved to St. Paul, MN at age 5. In his youth, he regularly roamed the grounds of Como Park and loved sneaking into the MN State Fair. He attended St. Thomas Academy, where he played hockey and baseball, and later the College of St. Thomas. Fulfilling a childhood dream to fly, Harry enlisted in the United States Navy and became a naval aviator serving on the U.S.S. Hancock aircraft carrier based in Coronado, CA, where he flew the AD-4 Skyraider, A4 Skyhawk, and the F-9 Cougar. In ensuing years, he served and flew in the U.S. Naval Reserve.  In 1960, he began a career as a commercial airline pilot with North Central Airlines which later became Republic Airlines and Northwest Airlines, flying the DC-3, Convair 580, DC-9, and MD-80. 

 

Harry was a loving husband, carefully cultivating a life-long commitment to his high school sweetheart and wife, Molly, whom he married in 1957. Together, they raised six children within a close knit, Christ-centered home focused on loving and assisting each other as well as those around them. They wholeheartedly embraced life with their eldest son Greg, who had Down Syndrome, and made unconditional love a lived family priority. Together they enjoyed 60 years of family time on Turtle Lake in Shoreview, MN.

 

Although soft-spoken, reserved and disciplined in nature, Harry was well known for his wonderful sense of humor which he warmly shared with those he encountered. He had special relationships with the young people in his life, connecting intentionally with a twinkle in his eye. Above all, Harry was deeply rooted in his Christian faith. He attended daily mass and spent dedicated time in prayer each day, unifying himself with the love of God which fortified his life of quiet service.

 

For decades, Harry and Molly quietly and directly sponsored the resettlement of refugees from war torn communities. They opened their home to dozens of Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Hmong, Bosnian, and Bhutanese families. Harry became a driving instructor, career counselor, financial advisor, spiritual guide, and lifelong father figure to each of these families. Over the past 20 years, Harry organized life-saving cardiac surgery for Central American children; while housing and transporting a sick child and parent back and forth from Mayo Clinic, he was already lining up surgery for another.

 

In retirement, he volunteered as a pilot flying medical teams in Central America, enjoyed flying vintage aircraft including the Ford Tri-motor, and often could be found in the sky piloting his prized 1956 Piper Pacer airplane- later donated to charity when he could no longer fly himself.

 

Harry is survived by his beloved wife, Winifred “Molly” (Hilger) Thibault; children, Mark (Carole), Laura (Kevin) Twohy, Stephen (Monica), Daniel (Gretchen), and Michael (Rhonda); grandchildren, Nick, Claire, Nadine, Peter, Jack, Colleen, Meghan, John, Matt, Joe, Annie, Tim, Mike, Rosemary, John, Mark, Cate, Andrew, Bobby, Lizzy, Jimmy, Chuck, Jenny, Maggie, Ricky, Stas, Susha, Sara, Jake, Rachel; great-grandchildren, Henry, Audrey, Emilia, Dahlia, Lucas, Leo, Connor, Calvin, Grant, Vivienne, Sandie, Jack, and 3 soon-to-be-born babies; siblings, William and Sr. Jane SSND; sisters-in-law, Gina and Barbara; and a large loving extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents; beloved son, Gregory; and siblings, Margaret (Roy) Cade, Mary Ellen (Don) Mullaney, and Frank (Pat), Joseph, and James Thibault.

 

 A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00am, Thursday, August 17th, 2023, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, located at 2739 NE Stinson Pkwy, St. Anthony, MN, 55418. Visitation begins at 9:30 am before Mass. Interment will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Tuesday, August 22, at 9:30am, to which all are welcome. Please arrive 15 minutes early (9:15) in assembly Isle # 4 at Fort Snelling.

 

The family would like to thank the incredible staff at Heart to Home Mendota Manor and Our Lady of Peace Hospice for providing attentive and dignified care for Harry throughout a difficult Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis. In lieu of flowers, time commitment and/or memorials can be sent to Feed My Starving Children, 401 93rd Avenue NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 or online at FMSC.org.