Thurman, John
THURMAN, John
A Journey that began on November 6, 1930 ended on January 12, 2022. Between those dates John Kleier Thurman lived a long and remarkable life. He grew up in the Sylvan Hills area of Southwest Atlanta with his parents Charles and Edith and his younger siblings Brown and Mike. John developed a true love of golf at a young age, riding his bike over to the John A. White golf course nearly every chance he could get to hone his game (when riding a bike that far in Atlanta traffic in the years preceding and during World War II was not dangerous). He was a track star (setting the Atlanta HS record in the 100-yard dash his senior year, long since broken as he set his record on a cinder track) and a good wrestler during his high school years and later at Presbyterian College, from which he graduated in 1952. He served in the Korean War and upon his return from the war, began a long banking career with First National Bank (now Wells Fargo). He witnessed and contributed to Atlanta's explosive growth during his banking career and his numerous contacts led him and a group of his golfing cohorts to found and develop the Atlanta Golf Classic, later known as the BellSouth Golf Classic. He was involved every year from its inception to the last year it was held, serving one year as the tournament chairman when Tiger Woods won the tournament. He and his family were members of Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Atlanta for many years where he served in various capacities from deacon to elder. One of his memorable services to the church occurred in 1968, after Dr. Martin Luther King was slain. The members of Central Presbyterian and the next-door Shrine of the Immaculate Conception got together to provide temporary housing for the overflow of visitors to Atlanta for Dr. Kings funeral.
John and his young family lived in what is now known as the Pomona Park area of Southwest Atlanta from 1961 to 1971. From there, he and his family moved to Vinings, GA where he lived until 1996 when he and his second wife Emily moved to Big Canoe, GA where he continued his passion for golf. Following her death in 2012 he moved back to the Atlanta area to be closer to his family.
He was predeceased by his parents Charles and Edith, his first wife Martha Taylor, second wife Emily Smith Thurman, and daughter Laree Thurman Parker. He is survived by his son, Kevin Thurman (Paula) of Lawrenceville, GA, his daughter Becky Thurman Earnhart (Brad) of Covington, GA, son-in-law Mike Parker, brothers Brown Thurman of Dunwoody, GA, and Mike Thurman of Mt. Pleasant, SC and their families. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren, Brian Parker (Kira), Brett Parker, Nathan Thurman, Taylor Thurman, Holly Donahue and Mitchell Donahue, his great-grandchildren, Braelyn Parker and Braxton Parker.
A memorial service for John will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making any donations to The Atlanta Humane Society or to the Big Canoe Animal Rescue in his memory.
Matthew 25:21 "Well done thou good and faithful servant"
