Eva Massey Thurman

November 9, 1933 - May 10, 2017

Eva Gray (Massey) Thurman, 83, affectionately known as "Miss Eva" to her friends and "Muffin" to her family, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2017 at Jackson Madison County General Hospital from congestive heart failure. Her energy, kindness, hugs, and warm smile will be missed as we mourn the loss, however, we celebrate her homecoming to Heaven. Her life was a living example of one of her favorite Bible verses, Ephesians 4: 32 "and be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ". Born November 9, 1933, to John Foster and Elizabeth Belcher Massey in Lebanon, Tennessee, and the oldest of four daughters, Miss Eva graduated from Lebanon High School in 1951, when she married Marion Thurman and relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she lived for 42 years before relocating to Jackson, Tennessee, to be closer to her grandchildren. After working many years for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, she began working at JMCGH as a patient representative and patient sitter until just a few months ago. Miss Eva has had many accomplishments throughout her life both civic and personal and was devoted to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved life and people and always looked forward to having a purposeful day. She was a long time member of Evangelical Community Church (ECC) and was currently attending Cornerstone Community Church. Survived by her husband Marion Thurman, daughter Jan Tolley and husband Wendell of Jackson, Tennessee; son Jerry Thurman of Atlanta, Georgia; grandchildren Rachel Cole Payne and husband Bob of Jackson; Laura Cole Hysmith and husband Nathan of Nashville; Mitchell Grayson Cole of Jackson; and Heather Thompson of Hermitage, Tennessee and great grandchildren Zach Cole, Kate Payne, Jake Payne, Jame Hysmith, Foster Hysmith, Callie Elizabeth Thompson, and Sophia Grace Thompson. She is also survived by sister Doris Harvey and nephew Kevin Harvey. She was predeceased by her sisters Peggy Knowles and Fostene Davis. A celebration of life with friends will be at 10am on Saturday, May 13, with a Memorial Service beginning at 11 a.m. at Cornerstone Community Church, 730 Pipkin Road in Jackson. Memorials may be made to Gideons International or to a charity of your choice.