Madelyn Thurman

Madeline Stewart (birth name) was born on April 28, 1949 to John and Ola Mae Spencer-Stewart in Jasper Alabama. She later changed the spelling of her name to Madelyn.  She was raised in Jasper with her seven siblings Mary Olive, Ella Manuel, Martha Stewart, Mildred Stewart, Merline Steed, Katherine Stewart and her only brother Eric Warren.

In Madelyn’s youth she and her identical twin sister Merline Steed enjoyed spending a considerable amount of time with their paternal grandparents’ on an Indian Reservation in Sumpter Alabama.

As Madelyn grew she began to develop a very vibrant, social and outgoing personality that continued throughout her life.  She adored spending time with family and friends at parties and social gatherings.

She met and began a family with her husband Earl Thurman Jr. during the 1960’s. She gave birth to their first of two children, Traci in 1968 and a year later they were blessed with the birth of their son Andre.  Just five years later in 1974 tragedy struck with the sudden death of her husband Earl at the young age of 32. Now as a single mother with two young children, she was still very fun-loving, however she also became a strong disciplinarian.  Years later, Madelyn would meet James M. Blackburn and welcome the births of her other two children, James in 1979 and Stephanie in 1981.

In her later years, Madelyn loved shopping and was an avid vintage collector, but most of all she loved spending quality time with her children and grandchildren.

Madelyn was preceded in death by her husband Earl Thurman Jr., her parents John and Ole Mae Spencer-Stewart, and her three sisters Mildred Stewart, Merline Steed (identical twin) and Katherine Stewart. She is survived by her four siblings Mary Olive, Ella Manuel, Martha Stewart and Eric Warren, her four children Traci Thurman-Bowen, Andre Thurman, James Blackburn and Stephanie Blackburn, eight grandchildren Kevin Bowen, Tiffani Bowen, Andre Thurman Jr., Andrea Thurman, DréSean Thurman, Dreonna Thurman, DeAndre Thurman and Kevin Nguyen, her great grandchildren Airyana Whitehurst and DréSean Thurman Jr..

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