Imogen Diana Thayer

Imogen Diana Thayer 

November 1928- November 2018

Immie Thayer died peacefully at her home in Ipswich on Saturday, November 3, 2018.

Born in England, in 1928, she grew up in London and Wavendon. She attended the Manor House School, in Limpsfield, Surrey, and went on to attend Saint Martins School of Art, in London. There, she met her husband, John Otis Thayer, an American, stationed in London, during the war. They married in 1947, and returned to the U.S.

She and John had five children, and raised their family in Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. A talented artist, Immie began designing and making evening dresses for an apparel shop, in New York. In 1963, she opened her own wedding shop, Immie Designs, in Bedford Hills, N.Y. She was well known for her custom designs, and restorations of antique dresses. Immie loved her work, and had a personal charm, and grace in helping the bride-to-be, and all involved in the wedding, to feel at ease and beautiful.

She was also known for making gowns for men, who cross-dressed, at a time when it was not easy for men to find a shop comfortable doing this.

When her husband retired, in 1974, they moved to his family home, in Ipswich. Immie moved her shop there, soon afterwards. For three decades, she continued designing, making and selling wedding and formal garments at her shop, until her retirement, in 2006.

She often worked late in the evening at her shop and "Immie from Ipswich" became a frequent caller on WBZ radio host David Brudnoy’s program and was later featured in a televised interview about him, after his battle with HIV became public.

Immie is survived by her son David, her daughter, Dido, and her cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her husband, John, and her sons, Sigourney, Nicholas and James, and three step-sons William, John and Crispin. Burial will be private. A celebration of her life will be held in the  Spring.

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