Nate Thurmond passed away peacefully on July 16, 2016 after battling Leukemia for several months.

He was born in Akron, Ohio on July 25, 1941 and attended Spicer Elementary School and Akron Central Hower High School. Nate received his Bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. He was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in 1963 where he was dubbed "Nate the Great" by fans and played with them for 11 seasons. He played out his last three years in Chicago and Cleveland.

A gentle giant of a man, he was one of the all-time great NBA centers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 and the NBA recognized him as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996. The Warriors and the Cavaliers both retired his No. 42 jersey. He continued to serve as Community Ambassador for the Warriors over 30 years.

He owned and operated Big Nate's Barbecue restaurant for 20 years.

He volunteered for many charities and for over 20 years was the spokesman for Good Tidings Foundation, which raises money for underserved youth through arts, education and sports.

He loved holding court with his wife and friends at many restaurants in San Francisco and the Wine Country. The anticipation of a new season and attending Warrior games was something he always looked forward to. He appeared regularly on ABC, Channel 7, where he provided expert commentary on the NBA finals.

He was preceded in death by his father, Andrew, his mother, Leala, and his brother, Ben. Left to mourn his passing are his loving wife, Marci, his son, Adam and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

He joined Providence Baptist Church under the pastorage of the late Reverend Calvin Jones, Sr. and remained a faithful member under Reverend Calvin Jones Jr. As a member of the Men's Ministry and the Noon Day Bible Study he showed great compassion, caring, comfort and cheer to those in need.

The family wishes to extend a special heart-felt thanks to the compassionate doctors, nurses and patient care assistants of CPMC who cared for Nate during his last days.

Rest easy gallant warrior. We love you as you have loved us. You have impacted our lives and left an immeasurable impression upon us and the friends who knew you well.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, July 25 at 11:00 AM at Providence Baptist Church, 1601 Mckinnon Ave, San Francisco. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Good Tidings Foundation in Nate's hono