Donnie Lee Thurston

Donnie Lee Thurston was born on August 25, 1953, in Louisa County, Virginia to the late Alvah and the late Earline Thurston. He slipped into eternal rest on September 9, 2024 at Adventist Healthcare - White Oak Medical Center located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Donnie was raised and nurtured by his parents and loving grandparents.  He entered the world 2nd behind his twin brother Lonnie and was known for his gentle spirit. He was a 1972 graduate of Washington and Lee High School in Montross, VA where he was an offensive guard and defensive linebacker on the football team. After high school, Donnie joined the US Department of Defense’s engineering co-op program and started his first semester at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T).  He earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1979 from A&T. After graduation, Donnie continued his career as a full-time engineer at the National Security Agency (NSA), where he remained until his retirement in 2012.

As a proud Aggie, he enjoyed many activities around campus, including practicing his Christian faith. As one that was a lifelong learner, he loved singing and exchanging ideas thus he sought opportunities to meet other like-minded college students. He could often be found at meetings, revivals, and conferences with others of his close-knit circle. It was at one of those events where a charismatic leader, Pastor James Henry Turner, invited students from A&T and the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) to come together to worship and fellowship. As fate would have it, it was at those series of events he met his future wife, Johnetta Barr. After dating and learning of their many shared interest, Donnie and Johnetta were married on November 22, 1980. Their union was made special by the birth of their daughter, Amaris. Then time itself was made extra special when their only grandchild, Braelynn, was born. As a family, they enjoyed entertaining, food, history, culture, and making worldwide connections. However, Donnie was a man of simple taste and big love. No one left his presence without being transformed into a lifelong friend. He was one of the most supportive individuals one could meet. He was always there to share joys, victories, and prayer.

Donnie was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Doris and his brother, James. Left to cherish his memory- his wife of 44 years, Johnetta Barr Thurston; one daughter, Amaris Thurston; one granddaughter, Braelynn, all of Odenton, MD; two sisters, Loris Thurston Harvin of  Brandywine, MD, Sheila Thurston of Rockville, MD; six brothers, Alden (Yong) of  Columbia, SC, Larry (Anne) of Gordonsville, VA, Lonnie (Yvonne) of Montross, VA, David of Mableton, GA, Carl of Gaithersburg, MD, and Alvah Thurston of Silver Spring, MD; four sisters-in-law, Vickie (Willie) Windley, Bronx, NY, ha (Zadok) Israel of Hamlet, NC, Janet Barr of Odenton, MD and Maraah Ava (John) Israel of Lexington, NC.  Seven brothers-in-law, James (Hattie) Terry of Orange Park, FL, Preston (Ann) Barr of Thomasville, MD, Darrell (Phyllis) Barr of Odenton, MD, David (Tam) Barr, of High Point, MD, Derrick (Takila) Barr of Concord, NC, William (Paula) Murphy of Winston Salem, NC , Calvin (Sally) Murphy of Hamlet, NC; one aunt, Thelma Alston of New Carrollton, MD; one uncle, Mitchell Thurston of Chester, VA and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friend. Special to Donnie was Kwesi and Tania Williams of DeSoto, Texas, Jimmy Moss of Upper Marlboro, MD, Deacon James Laboard of College Park, MD, and Steve Parker of Atlanta, GA.

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