Raymond Doyle Thurm

Raymond Doyle Thurm, passed June 30,2025 in Bakersfield. He was born at home in Medora, Illinois to Lawrence and Iola Thurm. Ray grew up an only child in a house without plumbing. When he was ten, 3 orphaned cousins came to live with them – he acquired 2 brothers, Lester and Wayne, and a sister, Ruth. They enjoyed a Tom Sawyer like life near the Mississippi River. Ray excelled in Boy Scouts, was an Air Explorer and Order of the Arrow.
The Thurm family moved to China Lake in 1953. Ray graduated from Burroughs High School in 1956 where he played trombone in the band, worked at the Desert Fair Market, and was known for being mischievous. He was a classically trained pianist. He worked his way through college as a Teamster driving a milk truck for Meadow Gold - graduating from Bakersfield College and Fresno State University. Ray completed graduate coursework at Gettysburg College, the University of Northern Iowa, and several California Universities.
     Ray taught public school in Porterville, China Lake, Johannesburg, and Ridgecrest, California. A born storyteller, Mr. Thurm had a way of creating elaborate math story problems based on student happenings and was known for including his students in classroom planning and decisions. He served as President of the China Lake Education Association, President of the Desert Area Teachers Association, and President of the Kern Division of CTA. He was appointed to California’s Commission on Professional Competence, where he sat on tribunals deciding the fate of teachers facing dismissal. He served as a member lobbyist for the California Teachers Association and the National Education Association. Ray was repeatedly elected to the NEA Representative Assembly and served multiple years on CTA’s State Council. He was Named CTA’s Ted Bass Teacher in Politics 3 times - Ray served three terms as Chairman of the Association for Better Citizenship - the political arm of CTA – and worked with President Carter to establish the Department of Education – During that period, he met with President Carter over lunch at the White House 4 times each year.
Thurm served in the U S Army Reserve and was called up during the building of the Berlin Wall. After his Army service, Ray returned to China Lake to teach school on the Navy base. Thurm refereed high school sports and attended the first Super Bowl. He taught grades 5 through community college during his career, including teaching grades 5-8 in the two-room school at Randsburg. He graduated the last 8th grader from the school in Johannesburg. He held an administrative credential – serving as principal on several occasions - he preferred working directly with students in the classroom. Later in his career he taught math at Mesquite High School and auto shop at Cerro Coso College.
Ray’s community involvement included serving as president at various times of the Ridgecrest Optimist Club, Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce, KRV Board of Realtors. Lake Isabella Shrine Club, Lake Isabella Scottish Rite, Master of Ridgecrest Masonic Lodge. And Officers Coach for the Kern Valley Lodge. He served as the Masonic Regional Inspector for 8 years and was recipient of the Hiram Award, the highest honor in Masonry. He served multiple years as Regional Director of Al Malaikah Shrine - Named Knight Commander Court of Honor in Scottish Rite. On the totally fun side, Ray was a founding member of the Dead Owls Car Club for 65+ years, a card carrying Turtle for 60+ years and founding member of NUTS, the National Ugly Teachers Society.
Ray served on the 2011-12 Kern County Grand Jury as Chairman of the Cities Committee. He volunteered as a docent at the Kern Valley Historical Society museum for many years. Served on the Kern Valley Cemetery District.
Ray, known for cars and motorcycles, was 1978 Outstanding Member of the Sandblasters Motorcycle Club and among the club members honored by the American Motorcycle Association Museum in Ohio. Ray was a member of the Al Malaikah Shrine Motor Patrol and rode his motorcycle in many parades. He also raced pro rally as co-driver with both Mike Biddlingmeier and Ray Hocker. Thurm and Biddlingmeier won Rim of the World in 1987. Ray was named California Rally Series Champion Co-Driver in 1987. He is remembered for his collection of award-winning Corvettes and 50’s Chevrolets. He attended auto races from Monterrey to Indianapolis - Silverstone to Mesa Marin. In 1994 he represented the United States, along with 11 other auto instructors, in Russia, advising automotive technical schools and factories.
Marriage to Cheryl Goode in 1960 ended in divorce.
   In 1978 he married Linda Lou MacArthur. Ray and Linda traveled not only all 50 States but also more than 60 countries. They rafted the Grand Canyon, climbed pyramids across the world, swam in the Amazon and Red Sea, visited Dubai, Oman, and Yemen. Spent 3 weeks on a farm in Australia, explored Machu Picchu, Petra, Herculaneum, Hadrian’s Wall and the Acropolis, sailed canal boats in Britain, toured most of western Europe and much of South America. Enjoyed hot springs in Iceland, Costa Rica, and Peru - sailed around the horn twice, spent a Christmas season in Santiago, Chile. They were held hostage by a foreign government, experienced an 8.2 earthquake in Chile, and generally crossed off most items on both of their Bucket Lists.
   In addition to careers in education and real estate, Ray owned 4 businesses, passed all  American Society of Appraisers courses to be an appraiser of vintage cars, specializing in Corvettes and Packards. He enjoyed philosophical discussions – frequently quoting Plato. Socrates, George Washington and other titans of industry and thought.
      Linda and Ray dabbled in politics - after retiring, they volunteered in Nevada during the 2008 campaign for President Obama.
     Ray and Linda enjoyed entertaining and many hours were spent with friends on their porch. Their July 4th parties were memorable. They frequently hosted get togethers for friends and neighbors – often introducing newcomers to the area.
Survived by Wile Linda and Brother Wayne
Preceded in death by parents Lawrence Thurm and Iola V. Peebles Thurm, brother Lester Cox, and sister Ruth Cox Prather
 
No services are planned. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Shriner’s for Children Medical Center 909 S. Fair Oaks Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105
Ray was so impressed with the Optimist Creed he kept it on the wall in a place where he could read it every day. He often commented on his inability to live up to it.
Promise Yourself to be so strong
that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness,
and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends
feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best,
to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success
of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on
to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and
to give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time
to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger,
too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.