Now, The David N. Theis Memorial Bridge

david-theis-bridge-fi

David-Theis-bridge-FIBy Evan Triantafilidis
Sentinel
Reporter

The Mianus River Bridge, which connects Cos Cob and Riverside, was renamed in honor of the late Selectman David Theis Sunday, on what would have been his 66th birthday.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate the dedication of the bridge and to remember how Theis once too connected Greenwich.

Lou Hipp, a longtime friend, met Theis in the seventh grade and recalled their earliest encounter.

“I moved here from the South, needless to say I didn’t fit in,” Hipp said. “He was the one to reach across at lunch one day and invite me to come sit with him. He introduced me to everyone at the table, and it was just that simple little thing, when he could have made fun of my southern accent or clothes instead.”

That moment would be an early example of how the former three-term selectman would spend his life serving Greenwich before dying of a heart attack last December.

“A building wouldn’t be as expressive as a bridge that connects Greenwich,” Hipp said of the memorial. “He was the great connector.”

The David N. Theis Memorial Bridge, decorated for the occasion, reminded guests of Theis’ annual fall tradition of lining the bridge with American flags.

His long-time partner, Kerrin Coyle, greeted those in attendance. “He did this for years,” Coyle said. “We would go to Newport, R.I., every August, and he would buy flags like you wouldn’t believe to make sure that this bridge was never without them. It meant a lot to him, and I’m so honored that they are going to honor him by doing this.”

First Selectman Peter Tesei remembered Theis as a “neighbor in government,” and former chief of the Cos Cob Volunteer Fire Company John Pugni pledged that flags would continue to line the bridge as long as the fire company is in existence.

State Rep. Fred Camillo talked about how quickly the flags on the bridge became a tradition and what it symbolized for David.

“Twice a year, Cos Cob’s favorite son would help Cos Cob’s volunteers place those flags up on that bridge—every spring—and then take them down again every November,” Camillo said. “To Dave, his whole life was about being observant and being totally dedicated to our professional firemen, policemen, emergency service personnel, and volunteers, as well as every man and woman who wore our nation’s uniforms.

“To him, this bridge represented everything that was good in America and his beloved town of Greenwich.”

Ginny Theis, David’s sister, thanked supporters who showed up, and Mary Jane Theis, a cousin, remembered him as an example of politics working.

“He bridged the gap of different opinions and he was a mediator,” Theis, a resident of Milford said. “But most importantly, he listened with the ear of the heart.”

 

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