MARGARET SPRAGG THURMAN
SOMERSET, KY – Margaret Spragg Thurman, retired professional accountant and auditor with Hg USAF/UFSC of Washington, D.C. died Monday, June 11, 2012, at The Neighborhood of Somerset Nursing Home.
Born in Somerset, Ky. on August 13, 1917, she was the daughter of the late Charles Victor and Isa Lee Spragg Thurman. She was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church of Somerset. During her retirement years, she held memberships in several committees of the church, including: The Memorial Fund, The Wills and Legacy Fund, The Trustees, The Staff Parish Committee and others, as well as 15 years as Teacher of the Volunteer Sunday School Class, an adult woman’s class that her mother had previously taught for over 40 years. She was a member of the Mae Roberts Missionary Circle, The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and an honorary member of the Kentucky Colonels. As a civilian member of the U. S. Air Force/AF Systems Command, she earned many commendations and medals during her 20 plus years of employment, starting at the lowest level of the professional Accounting and Auditing series and advancing to the highest level achieved by any female of the Command. Her career assignments included Dayton, Ohio where her duties included setting up commercial accounting procedures for the Base Accounting Office plus 21 tenants assigned to the base, auditing these accounts on a monthly basis. She soon transferred to the Air Force Contracting Office at the GE plant in Cincinnati, Ohio. At GE she advanced to the Deputy Accounting and Finance Officer, a position reserved for civilian employees, who audited and paid the contractor for work being done at that location. Over a period of 5 ½ years these payments amounted to several million dollars, some as large as 2-3 million in a single weekly check. Her next assignment was to the Hq AFASC Staff in Washington, D. C. located at Andrews AFB. There her duties included revising accounting manuals, auditing subordinate federal offices under the command and similar duties required of Hq. Command.
She is survived by a nephew, Donald P. (Ruth) Kinney of Pickens, a great niece Darlene (Roger) Youngblood and their two sons Austin and Alex of Easley, and her loving and extended family Heather (Donald) O’Shields and their two sons Will and Griffin of Easley. She is also survived by a niece, Rebecca (Becky) Elizabeth Thurman McCoy of Middleburg, Va. and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Mary Susan Kinney of Easley and Claire Elizabeth (Betty) Thurman of Somerset, Ky. and brother Charles V. Thurman, Jr. of USMC retired of San Diego, Calif.
Her family wish to thank Sharon Reynolds and all her staff at the The Neighborhood of Somerset Assisted Living and the Neighborhood Nursing Home for the wonderful care and attention that they gave to Margaret. They also want to thank Bertha Hargis for her devoted care and concern in caring for Margaret during the last three months of her life.
Services were held in the chapel of Somerset Undertaking Company on Saturday, June 16 at 2 p.m. Burial was in the Somerset City Cemetery.
Memorials to be made to First United Methodist Church, Somerset, KY.
Somerset Undertaking & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be expressed to the Thurman family at www.somersetundertaking.com.