George Ralph Thurmond was born in Ewing, Illinois on January 6, 1896, the son of Elisha M. and Ida A. Ingram Thurmond. His father, Elisha, taught school and engaged in farming and raising livestock prior to bringing his family to Marion on October 1, 1909 to engage in the monument business by buying the Marion Steam Marble Works (monument makers).
In the 1910 census year Ralph was 16 years old and living with his parents and two sisters, Alliba 18 and Edith 11. They lived at the family home located at 1118 N. Van Buren St.
In June of 1917, Ralph had to register for the WWI draft. He listed his occupation as a road contractor’s assistant, working as best I can tell for Duly Deppold (sic?) Company based in Marion. Ralph was described physically as medium height, slender build, blue eyes and dark brown hair with no impairments. He was single and lived with his parents.
During World War I, Thurmond served in the army from 1917 to 1919 and was discharged as a sergeant.
Thurmond was united in marriage at Mount Vernon with Miss Helen Norris, daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. H. P. Norris on July 27, 1919.
Ralph purchased his father’s interest in the business in 1920 and became its sole owner at that time. The business name was changed to Thurmond & Sons Monument Company. His father continued working with him at the business.
Around 1921, Ralph and Helen purchased their own home at 504 E. Thorn. They purchased the home from Elijah Lewis who was then the Mayor of Marion. A 1922 city directory confirms this location and also that the monument company has relocated from N. Granite Street to its new location at 608-612 N. Van Buren Street next to the I.C. railroad tracks.
Ralph’s father, Elisha M. Thurmond, served as Marion Mayor from 1927 to 1931.
The 1930 census found Ralph and Helen in their early 30’s living on E. Thorn by themselves. He listed manager of “monument works” as his occupation. They valued their home at $4,500 and it was free of mortgage.
Not a lot changed in the 1940 census except that they were then in their early 40’s and now valued their home at $4,000. Ralph indicated on this census that his educational level was two years of high school while Helen listed two years of college.
In 1941, he conceived the idea of a motel, to meet Marion’s need for improved transient housing. He built a 16 unit motel, facing the Veterans Hospital grounds. Six years later he added another 16 units and a dining room, which was then outstanding in Southern Illinois and a little later added 18 more units to the motel, making a total of 50 units, which were filled a large portion of the time. The Motel then, was on the west outskirts of town and was called Thurmond’s Motel Marion.
To construct his new motel, Ralph had employed an architect by the name of Walter Hubbard who had a son that went by the same name. When the job was concluded, the architect’s son remained behind to live with the Thurmond’s who had no children of their own and he was absorbed into the family as Walter “Wally” Thurmond.
When Ralph registered for the WWII draft in April of 1942 he was 46 years old. He still listed Thurmond Monument as his occupation despite the fact that he was operating a new hotel outside of town. He and his wife were then living across W. Main Street in a separate home. He was physically described as 5’10”, 158 lbs., with blue eyes, brown hair and a light brown complexion.
In September of 1943, Ralph’s father Elisha passed away at Ralph’s sister’s home in Benton.
Ralph started a Buick automobile agency in Marion in 1946, later selling it to Vernell Reel, who continued the sales room in the same location at 610 N. Market Street.
In 1957, he retired from the Marion Motel management, turning it over to Wally to manage and operate along with the monument company.
Ralph Thurmond, 63, died of a heart attack at 8:45 on Monday evening, April 13, 1959 at Marion Memorial Hospital. He had entered the hospital, with a kidney ailment less than a week before, but suffered two heart attacks, which caused his death.
His mother, who lived at the Motel Marion, survived four months after his death and passed away in August of the same year, 1959.
Ralph was one of the organizers of the Bank of Marion and was a director at the time of his death. He was a charter member of the Marion Rotary club, with an enviable 100 per cent attendance record. He was active in the Elks Lodge, the American Legion, and the Chamber of Commerce and served one term as a director of Southern Illinois Incorporated.
He was co-owner of Circle 3 ranch, south of Marion, with Jack Lewis of Bloomington, Illinois, where at one time in addition to the raising of registered cattle, they operated a 6,000 capacity chicken broiler plant, which was discontinued when they entered the Landrace and Berkshire registered hog raising business.
He was a member of the First Methodist Church. Funeral services were held at the Wilson Funeral Home at 3 p.m. Thursday in the charge of Rev. C.V. Tolley, pastor of the First Methodist Church and interment was in the family mausoleum of New Rose Hill Cemetery.
Besides the mother, widow and son, he was survived at his death by two grandchildren, Wally Junior, and Valerie Jean and sisters; Mrs. Ed (Lena) Dobrey of St. Petersburg, Florida, Mrs. Joe (Evelyn) Long and Mrs. C. W. (Alliba) Hay of Marion. A brother Clyde C. and sister, Edith preceded him in death.
Nieces and nephews who also survived were Mrs. Betty Hay Wilson (McDevitt) of Marion, Thurmond Adams of Charleston, Illinois, Meredith Dobrey of Newport Richey, Florida and Mrs. Evelyn Casteel of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Bank of Marion was closed at 2 p.m. on Thursday, so that the bank employees could attend the services.
The Thurmond Monument Co. plant and offices were closed Thursday all day. The Motel Marion dining room was closed from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday.
Sam’s Notes:
Helen (Norris) Thurmond, Ralph’s wife, was born March 29, 1899 and passed away on September 21, 1969.
(Data extracted from Marion Daily Republican obituary of April 1959; Federal census records; Marion City Directories; Notes taken from Betty Hay McDevitt; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 08/13/2013