Bruce Levan Thurman, 73 of Kansas City, Missouri, formerly of Richmond, passed away Friday, August 12, 2022 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. at Richmond United Methodist Church in Richmond, with Pastor Cathy Myers officiating. Burial will be in Sunny Slope Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 10:00 until the time of services at the church. Memorials are suggested to Richmond United Methodist Church or St.
Andrew’s Episcopal Church in care of Weiker Funeral Home in Slater.
Born July 13, 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri, he was the son of the late William Levan and Mary Carter Thurman. He attended Richmond Public Schools and graduated from Richmond High School in 1967. Following graduation, Bruce attended Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He then transferred to the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he studied his Bachelor of Journalism with a major in Advertising and graduated in 1971.
After graduating from MU, he returned to Richmond and spent the next year working at the family business, the Thurman Funeral Home. At the height of the Vietnam war, he decided to attend the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science. After receiving his Funeral Director’s license, he re-joined his father in running the funeral home in 1975 where he eventually became co-owner in the business. For many years, he helped usher countless Richmond families throughout the grieving process and offered comfort during their time of loss.
While living in Richmond, Bruce could be found acting in the latest Farris Theater show or playing the organ and piano at church. He also spent many summer weekends at his condo at the Lake of the Ozarks, where he also amassed a wonderful group of friends. He remained in Richmond for many years, eventually leaving the funeral business and moving to Kansas City, where he utilized his great sense of style at Dalton Interiors and the men’s retail store, Pinstripes. He briefly returned to the funeral business before finally retiring, working for McGilley Memorial Chapels in Kansas City.
A long-time resident of the Solgrave, overlooking the Plaza, Bruce loved to host parties. He was an exceptionally gifted pianist and thoroughly enjoyed serenading his friends on his beloved baby grand piano. He was well known for his Plaza Lights Viewing parties, an event he looked forward to every year he was able to host.
Bruce loved his family and his cat, Max, dearly. He enjoyed seeing the latest Broadway plays, traveling and volunteering. He was active in the local LGBTQ+ community, volunteering and attending fundraisers often. He also loved to volunteer and assist with funeral services at St.
Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Bruce will be remembered for his warm smile, infectious laugh, impeccable sense of style, wicked sense of humor, and the great love he had for all those around him.
Survivors include his sister, Lynne C. Murray and her husband, Kevin of Leawood, Kansas; two nieces, Clare C. Goodall and her husband Blade of British Virgin Islands, and Ann C. Diefenbach and her husband Nick of St. Louis, Missouri; three great nieces, Grace C. Diefenbach and Peyton T. Diefenbach of St. Louis, and Sailor R. Goodall of British Virgin Islands; and one great-nephew, Stiles C. Goodall of British Virgin Islands.