Collin Chronicles, Volume 31, Number 3 & 4, 2010/2011 Page: 95
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COLLIN CHRONICLES Vol 31 No 4:2010-2011 PAGE 95
George W. THURMAN
George Willard Thurman died at Hoboken, N. J. Thursday morning of last week at 4 o'clock.
Death was due to influenza. Deceased was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Thurman of this city. He was
born in this community September 3, 1895, and almost his entire life was spent in Celina. He attended
Celina High School for two years. Later he took a position with Stone Bros. & Williams which he held for
two or three years. He was called to Camp Travis July 24th of this year. After a few days there, he was
transferred to Camp Mills, Long Island, N. Y. At the time he became ill he was at Hoboken, N. J.
supposedly to embark for the overseas trip. The day before he became ill he wrote his brother C. H.
Thurman of Piano, Texas that he had not had a sick day since he entered the training camp, but added
that three men had been taken out of his tent that day with influenza. His brother, Walker, who was at
Camp Dix, N. J. visited him and wrote the family here that his condition was improving. Willard
Thurman was a bright, congenial boy who had a host of friends in this community who will be sorely
grieved to learn that this young life has passed out, and none will fail to shed a tear of sympathy for the
dear old mother and father and brothers and sisters. The death message coming so soon after his
reported improvement was a very severe shock to the family and caused the mother to take her bed.
The body arrived this morning at 11:20, accompanied by a soldier and the funeral will take place at 4
p.m. either at the Baptist Church or at the tabernacle. (The Celina Record, Celina, Texas, 1918)
The Celina Record, 1918, as transcribed in Gayle Maxson, The People of Old Celina Cemetery, Celina,
Texas (Decorah, IA: Anundsen Publishing Company, 2002), 507-508.
The service over the body of Willard Thurman was held at the tabernacle, where a large number
of friends and relatives assembled to pay their last tribute of respect. The service was conducted by
Rev. L. T. Grumbles. The floral offering was large and exceptionally beautiful, one of the prettiest
designs being a representation of the nation's flag, a tribute by twenty girl friends. The boy was
accompanied from New York by Sergeant W. R. Alexander. This young officer's home is at Dallas. He
had been in the service eight years and had not been home for three years. He is now with the Army
Transport Service and has been across more times than he can remember. He stated that Willard had
gone down to the ship to embark when he became ill. A letter written by Willard to his mother from
Camp Wheeler was read by the minister and we are sure she prizes it above any honors he could have
brought home from the field of battle. He stated that he would long remember Camp Wheeler, for it
was there he found his Saviour; that from that time forward, he would be a man of God. Following the
service, the body was laid to rest at Old Celina Cemetery. (The Celina Record, Celina, Texas, 1918)
The Celina Record, 1918, as transcribed in Gayle Maxson, The People of Old Celina Cemetery, Celina,
Texas (Decorah, IA: Anundsen Publishing Company, 2002), 508.
[Editor's note: Although these articles from The Celina Record are not dated, other sources indicate
George W. Thurman died October 16, 1918.]COLLIN CHRONICLES
Vol 31 No 4:2010-2011
PAGE 95
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Collin County Genealogical Society. Collin Chronicles, Volume 31, Number 3 & 4, 2010/2011, periodical, 2011; Plano, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth238553/m1/41/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.