Nell Koonce Thurman Kilpatrick Funeral Home Ruston, LA Memorial services for Nell Koonce Thurmon, 90, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 3, 2011, in the Burkhalter Chapel at Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston. The Rev. Brian Mercer will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Jerry Hilburn. Visitation will be held at Trinity from 10:00 a.m. until service time on Friday. Following the service, interment will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Ruston under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston. Mrs. Thurmon died Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at Northern Louisiana Medical Center, after a brief illness. Mrs. Thurmon was born in Florence, AL, on August 23, 1920, to William Carl Koonce and Virginia Lee Whitten Koonce. She was a graduate of Coffee High School in Florence, AL and Florence State Teacher's College, also in Florence, AL. After graduation, she taught elementary school in Alabama. Mrs. Thurmon married Newton H. Thurmon on October 31, 1941, and they permanently moved to Ruston in 1950. Mr. and Mrs. Thurmon opened the children's clothing store, Early Ages, in 1952. She was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston, a member of the Garden Study Club, PEO, the Miriam Circle at Trinity, and the Culture Guild of Ruston. She was also active in the Pink Lady Auxiliary at Lincoln General Hospital. Mrs. Thurmon was an avid reader and a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who took great pride in her family. Mrs. Thurmon is preceded in death by her parents; loving husband of 63 years, Newton H. Thurmon; and daughter Virginia Anne Thurmon. She is survived by her immediate family: daughter, Janet Thurmon Phillips and husband Thomas Lamont Phillips of Ruston, and son, Michael Scott Thurmon of Austin, TX. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Dewey C. Thurmon, Ruston; grandchildren, Dr. Shane Phillips and wife Lauren, Ruston; Ashley Phillips Smith and husband Ben, Atlanta, GA; Elizabeth Phillips Trapp and husband Josh, Hernando, MS; great-grandchildren Zach Lowe, Emma and Beau Phillips, Carter Smith, and Thomas Trapp; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the physicians and staff at Green Clinic North side, Dr. Billy Smith, and the ICU nurses at Northern Louisiana Medical Center for the loving care they provided to Mrs. Thurmon. Pallbearers will be Steve Thurmon, Merrill Goodwyn, Josh Trapp, Kenny Phillips, Henry Roane, and Lou Charles Napper. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston, St. Jude's Hospital, or American Heart Association. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com