Wilma June Thurman

Wilma "June" Randall Thurman passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. She was born May 5, 1934, in rural Schuyler County to Omer Ray and Rachel (Bell) Randall.

She married John (Jack) Thurman in 1955 and later divorced. She is survived by four daughters and two sons, Penny Thurman of Beardstown, Teresa (Tim) Sloop of Fernley, Nevada, John (Jessica) Thurman of Columbia, Missouri, Vickie (Troy) Campbell of Jacksonville, Matthew (Emily) Thurman of rural Winchester and Janelle Cervantes of Beardstown. 13 grandchildren, Jamie Daniel, Seth, and Robin Brown, Adam Mortimer, Brittany York, Steven Surratt, Katrina Surratt, Adrianna Thurman, Vanessa Thurman, Gabriela Cervantes, Yuliana Cervantes, and Jimena Aguado; nine great grandchildren, Mason Sanders, Alexis Brown, Easton York, Everly York, Memphis Anderson, Kashus J. Anderson, Eliana Cortez, Artemio Cortez, Jr, and Xiomara Munoz. She is also survived by her sister, Phyllis Summy of Quincy, her brother, Charles Randall of Augusta, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters Norma Fuqua, Mary Surratt, and Karen Jennings, and two brothers Rodney Randall and Richard Randall.

June graduated from Rushville High School in 1953 and later attended Lincoln Land Community College. Upon graduation she worked as Deputy County Clerk of Schuyler County Clerk and as secretary to States Attorney James P. Mourning before moving to Beardstown. In Beardstown, she worked at Delta Tank Co. until her second child was born, then stayed home to raise her children for 11 years. During this time, she worked out of her home as Secretary-Treasurer of the Beardstown Park District and as clerical support for a local accountant, before returning to the workforce. She then worked as Accounting Clerk at Oscar Mayer for 18 years, Excel Corp. for 2 years and then at Cass County Mental Health for 18 years as Office Manager before retiring in 2007.

From 1967 to 1995, June was a foster/adoptive parent, fostering over 35 children and adopting her 3 youngest. While fostering, June also worked part-time as a Foster Parent Support Specialist, and Foster/Adoptive Parent Trainer for the Department of Children and Family Services. She traveled to conferences in Boston, MA, Phoenix, AZ, and St. Charles, IL, as the Foster Parent Representative for the Tri-County area of the Department of Children and Family Services.

June was a member of the Beardstown Church of the Nazarene, where she served as Steward, Trustee, and Treasurer for many years, and traveled to Argentina on a mission trip in 2005. She volunteered at Christian Love In Action, serving on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer for many years. She also volunteered with the Beardstown Special Olympics since 1973, serving as treasurer until 2018. She was a certified coach in softball, basketball, bowling, and athletics. She was named West Central Volunteer of the Year in 1987 and Outstanding Parent in 1988 and continued to serve on the board, retiring in 2023. June loved her family. She especially enjoyed her grandchildren as well as reading, sewing, and working in her yard.

Services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, October 10, 2025 at Beardstown Church of the Nazarene with Reverend Jerimy Wooley officiating. The family will meet with friends one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Burial will follow in Beardstown City Cemetery. Colwell Memorial Home in Beardstown is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials are suggested to Beardstown Church of the Nazarene, Beardstown Area Special Athletes, or Christian Love In Action. Condolences may be left online at www.colwellmemorialhome.com or on Facebook at Colwell Memorial Home.