William B. Thurmond Sr., a retired American Can Co. executive, died of a heart attack April 22 at Memorial Hospital in Easton. The McDaniel resident was 81.
Mr. Thurmond was born and raised in Faber, Va., and graduated in 1943 from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Va.
Mr. Thurmond tried to enlist in the service three times during World War II but was turned down because of bone disease, family members said.
In 1943, he came to Baltimore and went to work in the shipping department of American Can Co.
"Through determination and hard work, he was transferred to numerous manufacturing facilities in the Northeast, Midwest and South," said a daughter, Lori Ann White of Centennial, Colo.
Mr. Thurmond was living in Greenwich, Conn., when he retired as a vice president in 1986.
Since 1986, Mr. Thurmond had lived in McDaniel, where he enjoyed gardening and playing golf. He was also an avid football, baseball, basketball and golf fan.
Mrs. White said her father had mastered his TV remote and mute button and could often watch several sporting events at the same time.
Mr. Thurmond attended the Presbyterian Church of Easton, 617 N. Washington St., where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Also surviving are his wife of 56 years, the former Edwina "Winnie" Kinzel; a son, William B. Thurmond Jr. of Gaithersburg; another daughter, Sallie Jane Thurmond-Schaper of Englewood, Colo.; and a sister, Louise McDearmon of Amherst, Va.