Thomas Francis Nuhn

Thomas Francis Nuhn, 63, died unexpectedly on October 26, 2025, at his home in Rhinebeck, New York. Tim, as he was known to his family and friends, was born to parents Helen and Benjamin Nuhn in 1962 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Tim was the fourth of five children, which included his siblings Mary Ellen, John, Kathleen, and Paul.

Growing up Catholic, Tim attended Holy Trinity Grade School and Our Lady of Lourdes High School. He continued his education at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he began his journey into the field of fine arts, receiving his BFA in Design with a special focus in glassblowing. During this time, he worked many jobs, including a summer position at Adams Fairacre Farms in Poughkeepsie—a company that would later play a major role in his future.

After college, Tim left home to live in Yonkers, New York. He landed his first graphic design job at Art Ad House in Manhattan, a fun and quirky studio where he honed his design skills and cultivated lifelong friendships. One of those relationships would stand out, for it was there that Tim met the love of his life, Audrey Francis.

During that formative year, Tim and Audrey became friends, then dated, and within just weeks he moved into her studio apartment in Manhattan to begin his life with her as he continued his career in graphic design. He briefly worked in corporate design for Price Waterhouse—the only job at which he would ever be forced to wear a suit and tie. It did not last. With his keen design acumen, Tim joined the team of Koppel and Scher, becoming their studio manager, a position in which he found himself privileged to work with some of the best graphic designers in the world.

Tim and Audrey married in November of 1987, twice in one week: once to make it official with the Catholic Church, and once to share the occasion with family and friends. The two moved into a fabulous loft in Soho, where too much fun was had with wonderful friends, surrounded by the art, music, and decadence of New York City in the 1980s.

The 1990s came along, and with a first child on the way, Tim and Audrey moved back home to Poughkeepsie to search for a new place to start their family. There, they discovered an old, dilapidated farmhouse in need of much restorative work—a structure that had previously served as the Hill and Hollow Farm School of Hyde Park, NY. Two days after the purchase, their daughter Olivia was born. With his many new responsibilities, the commute to New York proved too time-consuming, so Tim took a local job as a chimney sweeper in Hyde Park. The demanding physical work suited him well. Within months, he applied for a position at Adams Fairacre Farms, his former employer from college days. He joined the family of Adams Fences, remaining there as the business grew over the years—installing fences and tackling the brutal task of plowing store parking lots in the darkness of snowy winter mornings. As he aged, his position changed and he learned the business of sales for Adams, always loyal to the company to the end—34 years of devotion.

With "This Old House" and its list of many jobs clamoring for attention, Tim taught himself to fix just about anything. With guidance from his father-in-law, Jim, no project was too big to take on. He was fearless—even tackling excavating his property himself to install a new septic system. His motto was, "If I screw it up, then I'll call in a professional." He loved the challenges. He also loved his new job. The physicality of hard work, plus his exploration of the Hudson Valley, left him with no regrets about having abandoned big city life and a graphic design career. His heart was rooted in his home turf, and his creative energy was redirected toward new skills now required. Woodworking—and furniture making in particular—became a favorite focus.

When Tim and Audrey's second child, Henry, came along, a new focus took shape. Tim further embraced his role as a loving, supportive husband and father. Home life gave him a revitalized sense of purpose, and he worked his way through every room of the old schoolhouse, sculpting the place into a family home.

With renewed energy, Tim devoured the Food Network Channel, teaching himself the skills of a true chef, cooking most meals with the intention of assuring that his family would always have dinner together. He was happiest when feeding family and friends, and on holidays the Nuhn household was the frequent scene of internationally themed feasts rivaling any Michelin-star establishment. The family's Thanksgiving was his World Series game.

Tim had not come close to exhausting his energy reserves. He coached Henry's Little League team. He danced father-daughter square dances. He hiked scenic Hudson Valley trails. He birdwatched. He created grandiose snowbanks for sledding. He built a treehouse and a koi pond. He created a mythological feud with Santa Claus. These efforts and much more Tim performed with boundless love, dedication, and humor for the enrichment of his children's lives.

When the time finally came for the kids to head off to college, the empty nesters sold the home they'd poured their energies into and relocated to the village of Rhinebeck, New York. They first rented, until once again finding another fixer-upper for their next long-term project—another love nest to create from the ribs of a neglected structure. Tim loved the vitality of his new community and was thrilled that his children chose to live near their parents when they reached adulthood.

Tim was "no joke," as his family liked to say—he got things done! He took fastidious care of his aging mother, Helen. He made lavish, creative concoctions for the people he loved. He made hilarious Christmas cards every year that he starred in. He liked fishing and loved to brag that he caught the second-largest striped bass in Long Island Sound in 1998—and had the official certificate to prove it. He was a baseball enthusiast—first and foremost a Boston Red Sox fan, and secondly a fan of any team that beat the Yankees. He was generous. He was fair. He was funny. He was witty. He was kind, gentle, and patient. He brought humor to tense situations. A true statesman, Tim could diffuse touchy subjects among his opinionated friends with calm diplomacy.

Tim was also a ham, having developed a new love for acting in Rhinebeck's local theatre. He loved to travel with Audrey and made quick friends in every country they visited. Tim thought he was bilingual, as he was never shy about conversation with anyone who spoke Spanish. He loved Mexico and would have moved there had his children not been too far away. He embraced a new nickname, Timo, from the local Oaxaqueño community, but those closest to him called him Timmy. He embraced his role of "Big Daddy" at Olivia and Nathaniel's wedding. He had the gift of gab (even in his sleep), even though it often meant he couldn't keep a secret. When Olivia recently became pregnant, it was Tim who spilled the beans. He couldn't help himself—he was so excited for her, for them all.

Tim knew the lyrics to all the songs in the extensive libraries housed in his homemade cabinets and under his Boston cap. Though he tried, he couldn't play an instrument to save his life—to his credit, he tried many.

Tim ran Rhinebeck's Repair Café—one of many in the Hudson Valley and beyond that offer free repair services to their respective communities several times a year for anyone with something that needs some TLC. Got an ailing lamp, a rocking chair, a cuckoo clock, a dress that needs hemming? Tim would direct you to the qualified volunteer coach, though he'd tackle the chair repair himself. Tim loved the people he worked with and for there, and organized the café for years.

Tim had a special place in his heart for the oppressed and abhorred injustice wherever it existed. He had a lifelong, passionate voice for the plight of the Palestinian people, advocating for their freedom and peace.

Through thick and thin, Audrey was his guiding light; he was her rock, and he would do anything in the world for her, Olivia, and Henry. It is beyond words how much he loved them. He was loved by all whose lives he touched, and those of us who are left behind are grateful for the time we shared with him. In these troubled times, the world could use more men like Tim. Like George Bailey in Tim's favorite film, It's a Wonderful Life, it truly was a wonderful life.

Tim is predeceased by his parents and sister Kathleen; his uncle Thomas Shaker and Thomas's wife, Ruth; his aunt Virginia Jinette; his stepfather-in-law, Allen Gitlin; and his brother-in-law, Rick Plambeck.

Tim is survived by his wife and best friend, Audrey; his daughter Olivia and son-in-law Nathaniel; his son Henry and Henry's partner, Jenna; his sister Mary Ellen and her husband, Lou; his brother John and John's wife, Suzie; and his younger brother Paul.

In addition, Tim leaves his Aunt Janet Shaker; his mother-in-law, Julie Gitlin; his father-in-law, James Francis, and wife, Patricia; his sisters-in-law Lorraine (and husband Robert), Christina (and husband Paul), Shelly (and husband Scott), and Mindy.

We also wish to acknowledge Tim's nieces and nephews: Kathleen; Lauren and husband Clovis; Stephen and fiancée Meghan; James; Isaiah and partner Pilar; Ryan; Christopher and grand-nephew Elijah; Jake; Charles; Rachel; Tyler; and Joseph.

In addition, his first cousins Susan (and husband Alan), Thomas, Brian (and wife Erica Fabiola), and Beth (and husband Aaron), along with their children—Thomas, Natalie, Christopher, Gregory, Daniel, Katie, Jake, and Benjamin.

Lastly, his beloved dog, Birdie.

Tim's family is grateful for the valiant efforts of Rhinebeck's Emergency Service team. Tim was laid to rest at William G. Miller & Son Funeral Home in Poughkeepsie, New York. Cremation took place at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. There are no calling hours.

In lieu of gifts to the family, please make contributions to World Central Kitchen. https://wck.org

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