Remembering Dale E. Thurman

Age 65, Lexington, Ky.
Passed away on April 1, 2020

Thurman worked as a tailor for 45 years, moving from West Third Street to Cheapside early in his career, said his sister, Nadine Mitchell. In recent years, he had a small shop on Mill Street.

Thurman’s shop wasn’t just a place to drop off a suit for alterations. It was a popular hangout for downtown customers who became dear friends.

“Dale knew everybody. He knew every lawyer in town, every banker in town,” said his longtime friend and customer Jeff Walther.

He said he and Thurman bonded over a mutual love of cars and motorcycles.

“He tailored my son’s first suit, my daughter’s prom dress,” Walther said, his voice breaking. “He was part of the family.”

Mark Onishi said he, too, started out as a customer of Thurman’s 20 years ago, and became a friend.

He said Thurman was never shy about sharing his opinion, and he came to love “the world according to Dale.”

He said he’d often pop into the shop intending to stay for 15 minutes. “I’d be in there for two hours,” he said. “...Just going to see him was like a pickup for your spirits.”

As long as you weren’t too difficult, that is.

Thurman was known to show difficult customers to the door in short order.

“He did not suffer fools lightly,” Walther said.

But Thurman had no shortage of work. Walther said he kept so busy, new customers had to come with a referral if they wanted to “get in” at Thurman’s.

He was a man who knew his business and took pride in his work, said Stuart Mercer, Thurman’s friend and business partner.

“He was top notch,” Mercer said. “He was very confident, and he believed in himself. I don’t think there was any job that we would try to tackle that he couldn’t do.”

Mercer, who operates Stuart Mercer Gentleman’s Shoppe on Clay Avenue, said he began working with Thurman in the custom clothing business in 2015, having suits made in Italy then shipped to Lexington, where Thurman would finish them.

“The guy didn’t take the shortcut,” he said. “It’s going to be done right.”

But Mercer said those who knew him well knew, “he was a teddy bear.”

He also said Thurman had great love for his two nephews, Cory Mitchell and Christopher Mitchell.

“He talked about them all the time,” he said.

“He had a big voice and a big personality,” Onishi said. “He’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”

Mitchell, Thurman’s sister, said Thurman, the son of the late Edward E. Thurman and Willie B. Thurman, grew up in Lexington and graduated from Tates Creek High School.

He was a member of St. Paul AME Church, she said.

She said he loved jazz music and was a master at grilling.

“He was larger than life,” she said.

Aside from his sister and nephews, Thurman is survived by a brother, Keith A. Thurman of Atlanta.

Onishi said Thurman texted him a photo on Tuesday, letting him know he was in the hospital.

When he tried to call him on Wednesday and got no answer, Onishi said he thought Thurman’s cell phone had died.

“I’m just so shocked at what happened so fast,” he said.

(Reporting by Karla Ward, photo by Mark Onishi)

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