JACK ALFRED THURMOND M.D.

JACK ALFRED THURMOND MD
Widely known Rio Grande Valley ophthalmologist, Jack Alfred Thurmond, died Thursday, August 11, 2011 at the age of 86 in Kerrville, TX.
The second of twelve children, Dr. Thurmond was born September 19, 1924 in Aiken County, South Carolina to Ebbie Alonzo Thurmond and Annie Lee Linder Thurmond and spent most of his formative years in South Norfolk, Virginia. At age 18 he joined the US Navy and was sent to Orange, Texas where the USS Finch, DCE [Destroyer Escort] was being built. There he became a "Plank Owner" and soon served in the European and Pacific theaters of WWII as an Electrician's Mate.
After the war, Dr. Thurmond entered Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia on the GI Bill. While there he met his bride-to-be and life companion, Lois Belden, of Long Island, New York. Jack and Lois were married June 10, 1950 following his freshman year at the Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Thurmond interned at Greenville General Hospital, South Carolina, and practiced general medicine in Easley and Pickens, South Carolina, for one year.
In 1955 Dr. Thurmond accepted an Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat residency at Gill Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia and completed his ophthalmology residency at Arkansas Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. After several years in practice with Dr. Reed Gaskin in Charlotte, North Carolina, he moved to the Rio Grande Valley where he believed a warm, smog-free environment would benefit his infant daughter, Nancy, who was born with cystic fibrosis.
Settling in Weslaco, in 1962, Dr. Thurmond opened the Mid-Valley Eye Clinic, a one of its kind ophthalmology clinic in the area Jack's first partner was Dr. Rudy Margo. They were then joined by Doctors Rudy Perez, Bill Gillum, Stephen Hook, Deborah Alexander, and Yvonne Din. Upon Jack's retirement, his colleagues honored him by renaming the practice Thurmond Eye Associates. Jack liked to tell friends he was truly blessed to have been a part of the golden years of ophthalmology when so many exciting and rewarding procedures unfolded to benefit the world. He felt privileged to bring many new medical techniques to his patients in the Rio Grande Valley, from Weslaco to McAllen to Rio Grande City.
Dr. Thurmond served as Elder in the Weslaco First Presbyterian Church, and was a Boy Scout leader, Little League mediator, Lion's Club member (a Melvin Jones Fellow), South Padre Island enthusiast and family-man to the core.
Retiring to Kerrville in 1992, Jack continued to serve God on the medical mission fields of Central and South America. Through Medical Ministry International (MMI) Jack and Lois volunteered their services on 20 missions in addition to many weekend Border Missions with I (Eye) Care, San Antonio. Dr. Thurmond was a volunteer escort at the Veterans Hospital and Paul Harris Fellow in the Kerrville Morning Rotary Club, and enjoyed golf (which he "took up" in retirement) at Riverhill Country Club. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Christian Medical and Dental Society, Dietert Senior Service and a supporter of Schreiner University.
Preceding Dr. Thurmond in death were his parents and his children, Thomas Edward Thurmond, Nancy White Thurmond Harvey and Ted McClendon Thurmond; also his brother Edward Thurmond and sisters, Bobbie Lee Estilette and Edna Mae LeGrant.
Survivors are his wife of 61 years, Lois Thurmond, his sons, Walter Belden Thurmond and wife, Kathryn o Houston, TX and Benjamin Forte Thurmond and wife, Jennifer, of Houston; also daughter-in-law, Maureen Thurmond of Gainesville, GA. Jack boundlessly loved his grandchildren, Elissa Kay Thurmond Arnold and her husband, Chris, Timothy Gould Thurmond, Jacquelyn Helen Thurmond, Kayla Nancy Thurmond and Jack Robert Thurmond. Jack's surviving brothers are Ebbie Thurmond, Jr. (Marcel) of Santa Fe, TX, Robert Thurmond (Wanda) of Picayune, MI, Jim Thurmond (Pat) of Littleton, CO, George Thurmond (Stacia) of Texas City and Gary Thurmond (Carol) of Portland, TX. Surviving sisters are Hilda Radcliff of Jacksonville, FL, Ann Hingle (Calvin) of Hammond, LA and Linda Wygant (Conrad) of Montrose, CO. Jack also leaves many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 800 Jefferson St., Kerrville, TX on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 2 p.m. with The Rev. Dr. Rob Lohmeyer officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Building Fund, MMI-P.O. Box 1339, Allen, TX 75013 or the charity of one's choice.
The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the "Send Condolences" link.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
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