Obituary of Darlene Mae Thurman

Darlene Mae Thurman died of natural causes on June 11, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. She was 83. Darlene was born on August 9, 1934 in Kansas City, Kansas to Russell and Edith Wells. She met the love of her life, Mack Ray Thurman, at the tender age of 15, and the two were married two years later on June 21, 1952. The Mack and Darlene moved to Tucson in 1954 where Mack worked for an automobile dealership and Darlene soon began her career in the banking industry by accepting a job as a teller with the Douglas Bank. She retired from the industry in 1991 and enjoyed her remaining years by traveling, cooking, working with her church, watching her grandchildren grow up, and spending every available moment with her soul mate, Mack. Darlene was very accomplished in her career as well as in her personal life. In her career she rose from bank teller to the level of Vice President of a Savings and Loan institution at a time when a woman holding such a position was a rarity. She was an innovator, helping to create a customer service automatic bill payment system called Pay By Phone, which is a predecessor to today's popular online banking and electronic payment systems. For her success, Darlene was recognized in Who's Who of American Business Women, and was hired by the federal government after the collapse of the Savings and Loan industry. She was also an accomplished private pilot, a sailor of 40 foot sailboats, an avid bowler, and above all a loving, dedicated, and supportive wife, mother, and grandmother. Darlene is survived by her husband Mack; her sons and daughters-in-law, James Ray Thurman and Diane DiMiceli, Russell and Patricia Thurman, and Ryan Thurman and Sherri McKinley; seven grandchildren, Chris Thurman, Cheryl Aviles, Carrie Thouvenot, Lia Sweeney, Rusty Thurman, Tyler Roberts, and Mackenzie Roberts, and three great-grandchildren, Milana, Emma, and Griffin. Darlene's life will be Celebrated on Thursday, June 14, 2018 with a gathering of family and friends between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Bring's Broadway Chapel, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd, followed by a Memorial Service at 3:00 p.m. Burial will be at immediately afterwards at East Lawn Palms Cemetery, 5801 E. Grant Rd, preceded by a graveside service. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Darlene's life.