- Date Of Birth: February 6, 1932
- Date Of Death: March 4, 2018
- State: Florida
Leonard Ira “Turkey” Thurman, 86, died peacefully in his home on March 4, 2018, with his family by his bedside. “Turkey” was born in Jacksonville, Florida on February 6, 1932, to the late Leonard Hoyt and Katherine Helen Ebnette Thurman; but later moved to Madison (Cherry Lake), where he finished high school. He worked a while before joining the US Army, being honorably discharge as a Sergeant after four years serving as a medic and paratrooper. Following his time in the Army, he moved to Clyattville, Georgia and worked at the Clyattville Paper Company. He later enrolled at FSU, earning his Bachelor of Science in Education and taught for several years in Fort Pierce. He last career was back in Tallahassee at FSU where he was an instrument maker and designer in the Biomolecular Physics Department. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dorothy Kay Summers Thurman, daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Chris Puglisi; daughter-in-law, Patty Thurman; granddaughters, Lindsey K. McIntyre (Dawson Leggett) and Callie Thurman and grandson, Teal Thurman. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by a son, Christopher Thurman.
