- Date Of Birth: January 21, 1923
- Date Of Death: August 25, 2017
- State: Florida
The incredible Richard Raymond Thurm, 94, of Cape Canaveral went to be with the Lord on Friday, August 25, 2017. Richard is preceded in death by his loving wife, Ann, and his brothers Arthur and Arnold. He is survived by his sons Richard Jr. and John and Charles Ross (Patricia).
Richard was born in Riverhead, New York in 1923 to Arthur and Minnie Thurm and spent his early life working on the family farm in Calverton. Upon graduating from Riverhead High School in 1940, he continued working on the farm after the premature death of his father when Richard was eighteen years of age. In 1957 he relocated to Brevard County with his cousin Reginald Winters to start a home building business. That same year, they developed the Hitching Post Mobile Home Ranch in Cape Canaveral, which remains and ongoing concern. Also at this time, he served the community in various philanthropic endeavors and was asked to become part of the effort to procure from the state legislature a charter for the new city of Cape Canaveral. He became the city’s second mayor in 1963 and was reappointed by the city council seven times and served until 1971. After leaving the position of mayor, he served on the city’s Planning, Zoning and library boards.
Richard was also appointed by Florida governor C. Farris Bryant to the charter board of Directors of Cape Canaveral Hospital in 1962.
Richard’s generous nature and loving heart will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
