About Thea
Photo by David Carson - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Blessing Bears
in the News
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch article - "Illinois woman makes teddy bears from fallen St. Louis County officer's uniform"
- NBC Today Show online
"Slain officer's son hugs precious gift: teddy bears made from dad's uniform" - 3 -WSIL - ABC News
"Fairfield woman sews blessing bears" - First for Women - Online Magazine
- News Leader - USA Today network newspaper
"A bear in uniform"
It all started in 1992 when...
a customer asked Thea Gain, who owned a craft and gift shop in Fairfield, IL, if she could make a bear from her grandmother's tattered quilt. More and more customers saw her work and ordered their own keepsakes. Eighteen years later, Thea sold her shop to focus on making Blessing Bears (and to spend more time with her first grand baby. )
Her online business took off when her bears went viral. The widow of fallen St. Louis County police officer Blake Snyder posted a picture of her 2-year-old son with two Blessing Bears on Facebook in 2016. Now Thea's busy making hero and memory bears for families across the country and world.
Thea says God called her into the business and ministry of Blessing Bears. She's able to comfort the grieving with a special memory honoring their loved one.
Blessing Bears is a family affair. Thea's husband, Ron, creates the custom embroidery while her mother-in-law, Mildred Gain, helps sews the bears. Thea and Ron have two grown sons, JR and Craig, a daughter-in-law, Heather, and two beautiful grand daughters, Lois and Ruby.
Mildred and Thea Gain - the hands behind Blessing Bears.
Thea on the local radio show with Bruce Dickey at WFIW in Fairfield, Il.