Obituary of Thurman M. Winfrey

Thurman Michael Winfrey (“Mickey”, “Big Mike”) was born on June 21, 1956 to the late Walter and Dorothy Winfrey in Paterson, NJ.  He departed this life on April 28, 2019.  He was a lifelong resident of Paterson, NJ.  Michael was united in marriage with Faith on August 14, 1987.

He graduated from Eastside High School in 1974 then went to Morgan State and completed one year.

Michael was employed with Home Fair in Passaic, NJ for many of years before they closed in 1990. He then worked for Popular Club in Edison, NJ before he became disabled. 

Michael was a fun-loving man who kept a smile on his face and on the faces of those around him. He always kept you laughing when you were around him. He played football and baseball in his younger years. He also bowled with the Vacation League and coached for the Paterson Mustangs. He was a dedicated Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Dorothy Winfrey, his maternal and paternal grandparents, brother Donald Winfrey, sister Dolores Robinson, niece Nikia Winfrey, and his buddy Tracy Glover (sister-in-law).

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 31 years Faith, his children Marquis (Woodland Park, NJ), Thurman Jr (Houston, TX), and one and only daughter Tiffani (Paterson). He also leaves his sisters Dianna (Duluth, Ga), Joyce (Elmwood Park), Joan, Karen, and Cheryl (Paterson) and his brother Danny (Janine) (Alpharetta, GA) in addition to his uncle Thomas Curry (Shirley) (Cresco, PA) and aunts Fannie Winfrey (Paterson), Lenora Jacobs, Shirley Gatling (Charles), Fannie Mae Boone, and Mabel Curry of Rich Square, NC, Dorothy Headspeth (Passaic, NJ), and his favorite Great Aunt Lillian Shoulders (North Carolina). Special friends Kenny Eatman and Rick Williams. And a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and other relatives.