Thurman Donald Waits, age 60, a former Floyd County educator, died Wednesday morning while on vacation in Gatlinburg.

He began teaching at Georgia School for the Deaf, then became assistant principal at Garden Lakes Elementary, principal of Pepperell Middle School, and was also assistant supterintendent of the Bartow County School System.

After leaving the education field, Waits served as a member of the Floyd County Police Department and was a Chattooga County sheriff’s deputy.

He served during the Viet Nam War in the U.S. Army Special Forces in Germany.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Chapel of Parnick Jennings, Sr.’s Good Shepherd Funeral Home with Dr. Floyd Roebuck officiating.

Interment will be in Oaknoll Memorial Gardens with the Honor Guard of Shanklin-Attaway Post 5 of the American Legion rendering full military rites.

The family will receive friends at Good Shepherd Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. today and at other hours will be at the home of a daughter and son-in-law, Abby and Nathan Green, 11 Willow Circle, in White.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Scott Waits and Robert Waits.

Surviving is his widow, the former Lynda Thompson, to whom he was married, Aug.16,1970; two daughters, Amy Michelle Waits, Rome and Abby Waits (Nathan) Green, White,GA.; granddaughter, Claire Elisabeth Green, White; three sisters, Glenda (Alvin) Couey,Rome, Doris Brock, Rome and Sharon (Carl Joe) Gilmore, Cave Spring; twin brother, Sherman Ronald (Emerye) Waits, Rome; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bonne Thompson Cauthen and Dr.Larry Cauthen, Rome; sister-in-law, Sandra (Ken)Thornton, Cartersville; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Chapel of Parnick Jennings, Sr.’s Good Shepherd Funeral Home with Dr. Floyd Roebuck officiating. Interment will be in Oaknoll Memorial Gardens with the Honor Guard of Shanklin-Attaway Post 5 of the American Legion rendering full military rites.

The family will receive friends at Good Shepherd Funeral Home from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and at other hours will be at the home of a daughter and son-in-law, Abby and Nathan Green, 11 Willow Cir-cle, White,GA.

Pallbearers are asked to meet at Good Shepherd Chapel by 1:30 p.m. Saturday and include David Thornton, Allen Couey, Tim Couey, Joey Gilmore, Tim Millican, Bob Puckett, Terry Simmons and Guy Hall.

Parnick Jennings, Sr.’s Good Shepherd Funeral Home has charge of arrangements for the funeral of Thurman Donald Waits.