Eld. Kenneth Robert Thurman

THURMAN, Eld. Kenneth Robert - Age 64, passed away Saturday, July 4, 2015 at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI. Family hour 10 a.m. Thursday, July 9, 2015 at Perfecting Church, 7616 Nevada Ave., Detroit, MI., with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Bishop Elect Marvin Winans officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10 a.m. Thursday. Elder Thurman will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed with the family present from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Friday, July 10, 2015. Elder Kenneth Robert Thurman “Bobby” was born July 9, 1951 in Flint, Michigan, the son of Mazel (Thurman) Ramey and James Edward Thurman, Sr. ten minutes after his twin sister, Katherine (Thurman) Hudson. Elder Thurman received his primary education in The Flint School System. He began his college education at Ferris State University with his best friend, Howard Walsh. He went on to receive his Bachelor degree from Eastern Michigan University. After college he was employed by Zurich Insurance Company. Having been raised by a Christian mother, Elder Thurman accepted Christ at an early age. He regularly attended Canaan Baptist Church in his early years. More recently Elder Thurman has been a member of Perfecting Church in Detroit, MI. In 1998, he was ordained into the ministry at Perfecting Church by Pastor Marvin Winans, Jr. He was a member for 25 years and served as Department Head of the Follow-Up Department, Elder on Ministerial Alliance and he also served on Perfecting Church’s Board of Directors. Elder Thurman was a fun loving and competitive person. Mother Thurman-Ramey introduced her children to the sport of bowling at an early age. That became the twin’s sports events competition ground whether it was in actual bowing center or WII bowling on TV. That competitive nature in Elder Thurman proved to be useful as his battle was transferred from the bowling lanes to the hospital bed. He fought a tough battle before and after his bilateral lung transplant last April. But now the battle is finished. As he is laid to rest until Jesus comes back to receive him let us remember the words of I Thessalonians 4:15-18 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” Elder Kenneth Robert Thurman leaves to cherish his memory: mother, Mazel Ramey of Flint; twin sister, Katherine Hudson of Chandler, AZ; son, Kenneth Jeron Thurman; 3 daughters, Miracle Michelle and Majestic Thurman, both of Cleveland, OH and Tameka Rencher of Ypsilanti, MI; granddaughter, Londyn Thurman of Cleveland, OH; niece, Shonda Thurman of Orlando, FL; 2 aunts, Inez Heller Jones of Westerville, OH and Lillie Heller of Holly, MI; cousins, Gloria Jean Rison, Ruth Ann Henry, Carolyn Jones, Ronald (Barbara) Heller, Gregory Heller, Larry (Virginia) Heller, Oscar Wright, Burnice Wright, Diane Jemerson, Ruth Wright, Marneta Heller, Willard Heller Jr. and Howard Wright. Elder Thurman was preceded in death by his father, James Edward Thurman, Sr.; grandparents, Time and Essie Mae Heller; sister, Sandra Lea Thurman; brother, James Edward Thurman, Jr.; step-father, Walter P. Ramey; special aunt, Ruth “Mama Ruth” Morgan; special daughter, Dominique Gooden. The family would like to express special thank you to cousins, Andra Jackson of Clinton Twp, MI and Evangelist Jackie Blair of Mt. Morris, MI, Shari Miller, Rita (Ozell) Waters, Dorsey Cummings, Ola Cummings, the staff of University of Michigan Hospital-Ann Arbor, MI and a special thank you to Allen Woolford, Transplant Mentor, Ann Arbor, MI.

Eld. Kenneth Robert Thurman

July 9, 1951 - July 4, 2015