Kenneth Arthur Thurman

Kenneth Arthur Thurman, 72, of Moline, IL, son of Basil Jr. and Edith “Judy” (Johnston) Thurman, died Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at his home. Per his wishes, cremation rites will be accorded. A visitation will be held Monday, August 3rd, from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm, at Wendt Funeral Home in Moline. A private family inurnment will be held at National Cemetery on Arsenal Island. Memorials may be made to Unity Point Hospice or Quad City Animal Welfare Center. Ken graduated from Moline High School in 1961, and then attended Moline Community College (now Black Hawk College). He later finished his degree in Medical Technology at Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, MO, where he lived for five years after his release from the U.S. Army active duty. He married Dee Broquist in 1964, and later married Paula Hanneman Fetes in 1994. During his military duty, from 1969 to 1971, he served as an Army Combat Medic and a Battalion Personnel Clerk, while overseas. He spent time in the Black Forest of Germany during Operation Car Crew III, in preparation for battle in Viet Nam. Upon his return to the States, he was a Medical Lab Specialist at Madigan Hospital in Fort Lewis, WA. He was employed as an Industrial Chemical Technician, and at times, worked for Alcoa, Sivyer Steel, and various Medical Facilities. He retired from Genesis Health Systems in 2005. He had many interests in life, including travel and sight-seeing trips, often attending baseball games in St. Louis as an avid Cardinals fan. He was Vice-President of the Quad-City area Cardinals fan club in the 1980’s. Other sport’s interests were Chicago Bears football, and Illini and MHS basketball. He coached women’s softball, and in 1983, led his team to a Midwest Regional Championship (7-state region), and on to the National Tournament in Cincinnati. He had several articles published in various genealogical periodicals, and he published a genealogy newsletter that was distributed in many states, Canada, and Australia, copies of which are in the Library of Congress. He also enjoyed photography, gardening, reading, and crossword puzzles. He loved all animals, especially his two cats, “Mac” and “Sammy”. Survivors include his wife, Paula Thurman; son, Jeff (Linda) Thurman of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, Cameron and Katie Thurman; step-son, Corey Fetes; step-brother, Gary (Cheri) Ishmael; an aunt, Peggy Thurman of Colona, IL; cousins, Virgil Thurman of Geneseo, Scott Thurman of Dayton Corners, IL, Bryan Thurman of Colona, IL, and Judy Sawyers of Rock Island; several nieces and nephews; special friends, Pam and Steve Mott, Dennis McGimpsey, and Will Slaughter; and his special friends, whom he considered “granddaughters”, Abbey and Tabitha. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, his brother Michael, and a stepson, Randy Fetes. The family would like to convey their gratitude to the staff of Unity Point Hospice, for the wonderful care provided to Ken.

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