David Cushman Thurber, Jr.,MD

David Cushman Thurber, Jr, M.D., passed away November 8, 2023 at Novant Forsyth Medical Center with his family by his side. He was born in Rochester, NY on 04/12/1951 to David Cushman Thurber, Sr. and Astrid Louise Passer. He had many fond memories of living in Rochester and spending time with his sister, Christine. His father was an internist and had a private practice which included house calls. Dave had happy memories of going with his father on weekends to see patients.

Dave graduated from Irondequoit High School in 1969 where he was on the ice hockey team. In 1969 he attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. and graduated in 1973 with a major in Chemistry. His experiences with his father influenced his decision to be a physician. He attended medical school at the University of Rochester School of Dentistry and Medicine (1977), and completed his medical education at the University of Massachusetts in Worchester, Mass. (1981) He soon became board certified in Internal Medicine, following in his father's footsteps.

In 1981 he moved to North Carolina to work as a supervising physician at Dorothea Dix hospital. In 1989 he began his position at Kaiser Permanente where he began to pursue a career as a hospitalist. He would go on to start the hospitalist programs at Wake Med Cary and Duke Raleigh Hospital and in 2015 accepted an offer to work as a hospitalist at Northern Regional Hospital in Mt. Airy, NC . He retired on January, 2020 but continued to work shifts at the hospital. Giving up medicine was not something in his immediate plans.

Dave and Linda met in 1981 while working together at Dorothea Dix Hospital and were married Sept 13, 1986, in the Rose Garden in Raleigh with his two stepdaughters Susan and Amy by their side. Dave and Linda loved to travel and experience nature. In 2007 they bought a vacation home in Lowgap, NC, where they enjoyed living in the woods, watching the wildlife and their view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dave continued to enjoy hobbies such as model trains, ham radios, photography, playing his LPs from the '70's, fixing almost anything and splitting wood for the mountain house wood stove. He was always busy. This house was where he and his family could find serenity away from the problems and troubles of life.

Dave loved his dog Duchess who went with him everywhere. Dave adored his family and loved spending time with his grandchildren, who called him Papa. He was a devoted and caring husband, brother, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend. In everything he did, Dave cared for and supported his family.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Linda Christian Thurber, his stepdaughters, Susan Nolan Roche (Kevin) and Amy Nolan Weaver (Bill), his five beloved grandchildren, Gregory Michael Davis, Alexander Scott Davis, Emma Christian Reznak, Sadie Christian Weaver and Leonard Nevins Weaver, one great-granddaughter, Ally Matzka, his sister Christine Knupp(Mike) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at Montlawn Funeral Home And Cremations, 2911 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC. On December 2, 2023. Visitation will be held at 1 pm followed by a memorial service at 2 pm. Memorials may be made to the Surry Animal Rescue, 172 County Home Rd , Dobson, NC 27017 or to the the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org).