Floyd Wilson Thatcher

Floyd Wilson Thatcher November 27, 1917 – January 8, 2006 Floyd Wilson Thatcher, 88, passed away on Sunday morning, January 8, 2006. Services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 1:30 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Rev. Chuck Treadwell officiating. Interment will follow at Waco Memorial Park North. Family is glad to receive friends at their family home. Floyd was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 27, 1917, the son of the Reverend Harold and Edna Thatcher. In the early 1920’s the family moved first to Portland, Oregon but soon migrated to Oakland, California. Then during the next several years they moved to Anaheim, Colusa, and Ventura, California. In 1935 he graduated from Ventura High School, attended Ventura Junior College and Simpson College. In 1938 he married Harriett Hall and they moved to the Los Angeles area where Floyd worked as a salesman and executive with Standard Brands of California. In 1948 Floyd and Harriett became associated with the religious publishing world in Los Angeles where Floyd worked as President of Cowman Publishing Company. In 1964 he assumed responsibility as Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and in 1967 he was appointed Vice President and Executive Editor of Word Publishing Company, Waco, TX. During those years he encouraged and worked with a wide array of competent published authors and was responsible for the development of several major projects including the 54 volume Word Biblical Commentary and the 33 volume Communicator’s Commentary. Upon his retirement in 1983 he worked free lance as General Editor of the 32 volume Guidepost Home Bible Study Program. During the course of his career Floyd received several significant awards for outstanding service. Among these is the “Gold Medallian Achievement Award” from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, an award from Guidepost, N.Y., on the sale of one million volumes of the Bible Study Program, and two awards from Word Publishing Company in recognition of his service in the acquisition of best selling authors and his contribution to Word’s success. He and his wife Harriett were the authors of a book entitled Long Term Marriage. In addition Floyd was the author and compiler of eight books and with Dr. Charlie Shedd produced an eight cassette and work book course on writing. Throughout all of his life he was active in church, and during his years in Waco he served as Senior Warden, Vestry member, Sunday school teacher, and was involved in many working committees at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Floyd is survived by his wife of 67 years, by his daughter Sherrill Colony and her husband Paul of Pasadena, CA, grandchildren Kristin Mitchell and Patrick Colony; and great grandchildren Connor and Caroline Mitchell. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey