Georgialee R. Thurman

Georgialee R. Thurman, age 82, of Galena, previously of Evanston and Petersburg, Illinois, went home to the Lord on Monday, July 29, 2013 at the Galena Stauss Senior Care Center, Galena. Georgia was born December 29, 1930, in Sacramento, California, the eldest of three daughters of Emery and Elizabeth (Bell) Rawlings. She grew up in Vallejo, California and Petersburg, Illinois.
Following her marriage to Paul Jaeck of Petersburg in 1948, she moved to Evanston and later to Wilmette, Illinois, where they raised three children. In 1963, she married Edwin Thurman with whom she had two children. After their move to Galena in 1976, she realized her dream of opening a shop for gardeners, called Georgia's Garden Shop. Her long membership in the Grace Episcopal Church in Galena, where she served in many capacities, brought her great joy and many friends.
Georgia's long list of accomplishments and interests included master gardening, cooking and entertaining, bird watching, travel, music and the performing arts, fine sewing and costume design with the Savoyaires theater group of Wilmette, theological studies, co-authoring a family autobiography, and extensive reading.
Beloved Mother of Jennifer (Richard) Alexander of Evanston, Heidi (Michael) Campbell of Northfield, Charles (Ilina) Jaeck of Riverside, CA, Delight (David) Hockman of Rockton and Rawlings (Dawn) Thurman of Downers Grove, and step-son Bruce (Ida) Thurman, New York City. She is survived by eight grandchildren, Matthew and Timothy Campbell, Nikolay Grantcharov, Alexander Jaeck, Elizabeth (Daniel) Mikos, Ben (Kristen) Hockman, Zachary and Marlo Thurman; two sisters, Anne (Harry) Dimopolous of New Glarus, WI and Sara Moore of Chicago; numerous nieces and nephews; and a sister in-law, Nancy Trimble of Evanston. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Edwin Thurman Jr.
A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 12, 2013 at Grace Episcopal Church, Galena.