By Monty Siekerman
Les Thede lives by the adage,” You don’t retire from something, you retire to something.” The retired electrical engineering professor does woodworking, and does it seriously.
For example, he makes drums that you sit on and play. They go for $110 each. He has sold 234 of them to churches, individuals, and acoustic bands across the country.
Les also makes cutting boards using several types of wood, mantle and wall clocks, keepsake boxes, and other items. He describes what he makes as useful, beautiful, and artistic. Occasionally, he will make special-order items, such as tables.
On Saturday you can catch him at his booth near the Flea Market at the Harvest and Herb Fest on Saturday. He will have a variety of items for sale.
His company, Everlasting Furniture, can be found on the web at everlastingfurniture.com, on Facebook at Les Thede, and on Etsy at Everlasting Furniture.
He first became interested in woodworking in high school when he took an industrial arts class, but had to put that aside for several years while he earned the bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Iowa and the doctorate from the University of Toledo.
He joined the ONU faculty in 1984. During his 23 years in the classroom, including a few years as department chair, he dabbled in woodworking as a means of stress relief. After retiring, he took up the woodworking interest to a serious level. He’s been successful, selling he wares nationwide. Now, woodworking is his passion.
He has a shop in the backyard full of machines, all types of wood, and merchandise in various stages of development. Christmas is coming, the orders will start pouring in beginning Nov. 1, so he is making everlasting furniture now to have on hand to ship. Items ordered online are usually sent by the next day.
In addition to online sales, he has merchandise at Gallery for the Arts on Main Street and in the gift shop at The Inn at ONU. He attends about half a dozen street festivals in northwest Ohio during the summer.
Yes, Les Thede retired TO something. It’s his passion to make merchandise that can be proudly handed down from one generation to the next. Now, his creations can be found throughout the nation.
