Obituary: James Edmond Thurmond
James Edmond Thurmond ~ August 18, 1934 – December 10, 2022 (age 88)
James Edmond Thurmond was 88 years old and surrounded by his family when he departed this life to go home to be with his Lord and Savior on December 10, 2022.
James was born on August 18, 1934 in Union City, Tennessee and graduated from Woodland Mills High School in 1952. It took only a short time of picking cotton for him to learn farming was not the career for him. James took a friend’s advice and hitchhiked to the nearest train depot in Rives and asked for a job with the railroad. During a six-month apprenticeship, James was trained to be a telegraph operator. This was a vital job because the railroad did not have phones at that time. He was officially assigned to the GM&O Sparta, Illinois depot as a floating operator-agent to relieve operators and agents all the way from Baldwin, Mississippi to East St. Louis. He reported for work one day in Sparta and discovered a film crew there. As he worked his shift, he got to watch them shooting scenes for “In the Heat of the Night”. After seven years of learning several jobs at many depots, James was hired as a full-time operator in Cairo, Illinois.
In 1972, James transferred to the Selmer, Tennessee depot where he worked as an agent for 11 years until being transferred to Jackson, Tennessee to serve as the chief accounting clerk for six years. James’ final role with the railroad was in Memphis at the Illinois Central Johnson Yard where he worked in accounting. He retired in 1997 and many coworkers and friends from all these former locations came together to help him celebrate a wonderful 45-year career as a railroad man. His favorite summary for those years was, “I loved every minute of it.” He was S&T of the operator’s union and after retirement he continued to serve the railroad as a GM&O Hospital Board member. His business trips to Chicago became the source of many family legends and adventures.
James not only mastered several roles at the railroad, but was also an entrepreneur and very involved in local and state politics. He owned Thurmond’s Variety stores in Middleton and Selmer throughout the 1980s. During this time, he met the love of his life, Delores, and they were married in 1991.
Even though James was retired, he believed in keeping his mind and body young through hard work and started “Jas-Dee Lawn & Handy Services” with his wife, Delores in 1998. They soon came to be known around Middleton as the “Coverall Couple”. Some of their many commercial projects included installing the landscaping at Shackleford’s and the Merchant’s Bank (Centennial) in Middleton. They both enjoyed visiting with the many neighbors and new friends they made during those years, but eventually decided it was time to hang up their work boots at the end of Summer 2020.
James was patient and kind to everyone, he never met a stranger, and didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone.
Anyone who knew James knew of his love for trains and his excitement of telling stories about his time working for the railroad.
James was a godly man and a family man, putting his church and his family first. His love for his wife, Delores, was very apparent and that love was mutual as Delores loved James and cared for him until he took his final breath.
The world will be a little less happy without James Thurmond in it. He made you slow down and smell the roses. James’ desire to talk with anyone in his path was pure and genuine and you were a lucky person for having had the opportunity to do so.
James is survived by his wife, Delores (Meeks); his children, Arlene Moore (Sammy), Michelle Watson (Scott), and Michael Glidewell (Penny); his grandchildren, Garrett Wade (Liz), Evion Mensi, and Davis Glidewell; his great-grandchildren, Alayna and Trenton Wade; his sisters, Colleen Cooley (Pete) and Shelby Haynes (David).
James was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth Wayne Thurmond (Lana); his son, James Curtis Thurmond; and his granddaughter, Erika Wade.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 15, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, December 16, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Middleton, Tennessee.
Chapel service will be held on Friday, December 16, 2022, at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Middleton, Tennessee at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at New Salem Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Walnut, Mississippi.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial donations, in honor of James Thurmond, be sent to New Salem Primitive Baptist Church (P. O. Box 353, Walnut, Mississippi 38683) where James was a member and served as a Deacon.
The family respectfully requests the use of a mask during services due to rising flu cases.
Courtesy of Shackelford Funeral Directors, Bolivar, Tennessee.
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