Thomas Francis Brien, 71, a Gardnerville resident died Aug. 17, 2007, at his home. A celebration of life will be 5 p.m. Saturday at his residence for family and friends.
He was born Sept. 26, 1935, to Arthur and Marie Brien in Escanaba, Mich.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and was in the philosophy master's program at University of Nevada, Reno.
He was the State of Nevada chief appeals referee for Employment Security. He was a reporter for the Tahoe Daily Tribune and did public relations for Harveys at Lake Tahoe.
He was a member of the American Humanist Association: Council for Secular Humanism, MENSA, the Friends of Douglas County Library, the Sierra Club and was past president of the Nevada State Employee's Association Local 4041 from 1995-98. He enjoyed sports, skiing, road bicycling, hiking and astronomy.
He was preceded in death by his wife Rae Marie Brien.
Among his survivors are step-daughter Leonore Kendall of Grants Pass, Ore; brothers Peter and Paul, who are Maryknoll Missionaries in Taiwan, brother Robert and his wife of Madison, Wis.; nephews Patrick and Thomas Brien and niece Kathleen Brien.
FitzHenry's Carson Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.