JOHN MACFARLANE THURLOW
12 DECEMBER 1941-19 JULY 2018

John MacFarlane Thurlow, resident of Tacoma, the son of Harry Thurlow and Sally Hunt Thurlow, was born in Aberdeen, WA on 12 December 1941. Later, they moved to Port Angeles, where he lived until, during his teenage years, the family moved to Westchester County, New York.
After attending Stanford University for his undergraduate and graduate education, John went to work for Esso (later, Exxon) in their computer sciences division, for whom he worked in New York, New Jersey, The Netherlands, Belgium, back to New Jersey, and Texas.
In 1973, John married Lyz Kurnitz. While living in Belgium, their beloved sons, Adam Philip Kurnitz Thurlow and Alexander MacFarlane Kurnitz Thurlow, were born.
John worked in Computer Security for Exxon for many years, and served as their representative to I-4, an international Computer Security Forum. After retiring in 2000, he became the director of I-4, at which time he and Lyz moved to Tacoma.
In later years, John became very active in the community, serving as Vice Chair, Chair, and Co-Chair of the Northeast Tacoma Neighborhood Council, and as Vice Chair of the Community Council of Tacoma. He also served on Tacoma's Billboards Committee and was a current member of the Transportation Commission. John was also a member of the Professional Technical Advisory Committee of Citizens for a Healthy Bay, and served on the Board of the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County for eight years, where he served as the editor of They Represent You, their annual Directory of Elected Officials.
John's other loves were trains (both model and full size), hiking in the local mountains, the League hiking group, traveling all across Italy, his book group, going to the ballet, exercising, and enjoying a glass of wine.
John is survived by his wife, Lyz Kurnitz-Thurlow, his children, Adam and Alex, their wives, Aimee Thurlow and Joleen Sanborn, beloved beautiful grandchildren, Katerina Isabel and Jake Robert, his sister, Susan Thurlow Gray, and her wonderful family.
Contributions may be made in John's honor to the League of Women Voters of Tacoma Pierce-County or Citizens for a Healthy Bay.
A celebration of John's life will be held at a later date.