Charles Gordon Thurman

In Memory of

Charles Gordon Thurman

“Dad, Daddy, Pops, Papa and Sweetheart”

02/05/1936 – 10/21/2025

Our beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather Charles Gordon Thurman, passed away on October 21, 2025 in Murray, Utah. He was born February 5, 1936 in Blackfoot, Idaho to Charles Varion and Leora Millar Thurman. This good, smart, wonderful, loving man was challenged for many years by Alzheimer’s. He has finally been released to go home.

After high school graduation in 1954, Gordon went to BYU and graduated in 1962. In the interim, he had completed a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States Mission from 1956-58 and helped his mother farm in Ephrata, Washington, after his father’s early passing.

After graduation from BYU, Gordon worked for a time for the telephone company in order to return to school in 1964 at George Washington University for a Masters in Healthcare Administration. The summer before leaving for Washington D.C., he met, romanced and became engaged to Catherine Booth. They were sealed December 30, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple. He passed away two months shy of their 61st wedding anniversary. They have four children.

Gordon’s professional life started with an administrative position at St. Anthony Community Hospital in Pocatello, ID. Lincoln City, OR followed as the CEO of North Lincoln County Hospital. After three years, he was hired as the CEO of Woodland Memorial Hospital in Woodland, CA where he served for 17 years. He concluded his hospital career as the COO of Natividad County Hospital in Salinas, CA. In his later years, after moving to Salt Lake he assisted seniors while working with Banker’s Life and Casualty.

Gordon was highly respected and loved, and had an unfailing testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He served in many positions in the Church including teaching, serving in bishoprics, as a Bishop and in High Councils. He loved to sing hymns in the choir and had a beautiful bass singing voice. One of the highlights of Gordon and Cathy’s life was the three years they served together as Guest Service Missionaries on Temple Square in the Tabernacle, Conference Center, Assembly Hall and Brigham Young Park.

Gordon’s favorite things were spending time with family, reading the dictionary for unusual words for a dictionary game, crossword puzzles, favorite jazz artists such as Errol Garner and George Shearing, playing golf, and watching BYU football games. He loved anything lemon: lemon drops and lemon meringue pie were favorites. He gave great shoulder massages and loved a good dad joke.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother and four-year-old brother, Byron Kim and his brother-in-law, Joseph Richards. Survived by his wife, Cathy; brothers: Ron Thurman (Clyda); Gary Thurman (Sherry); Richard Thurman (Brenda); sisters: Linda Richards and Elaine Bylund (David). Children: Mark Thurman, Shelley Hannig (Marty); Leslie Gray (Joe Palmer, fiancé); Gregory Thurman (Natalie), nine very loved grandchildren and four great grandchildren and one on the way.

The family wishes to thank the special friends at True North Hospice for their kind, loving care and support of both our parents.

Services will be held on Friday, October 31, 2025 at 11:00 AM, with a viewing Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8100 South Top of the World Drive, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Interment to follow.

Services will be online. Zoom link - https://zoom.us/j/93166245136?pwd=y5oY1dmfkV5vT4hH1TsMftuKdmusDC.1