therman Arrington
1943-1964
Life Story
A Life Cut Short but Fondly Remembered
Early Life
Therman (also recorded as Thurman) Arrington was born around 1943 in Newton County, Mississippi, to Herbert Arrington (1914–1982) and Margie Mae Jordan Arrington (1918–1991). He was raised in the Altare Community, a deeply rooted rural settlement where family, faith, and neighborly support formed the foundation of daily life. Growing up among the rolling farmland and the close-knit bonds of the Altare Missionary Baptist Church, Therman’s early years reflected the warmth and industrious spirit of his family’s heritage.
Tragic Accident
At just 21 years old, Therman’s life came to a sudden and devastating end in the early morning hours of Saturday, October 31, 1964, when his automobile collided with a freight train at the Bethel Crossing, three miles southwest of Newton.
According to Sheriff Hubert Valentine, the collision occurred around 2 a.m. The impact of the crash threw Therman from his vehicle, tragically placing him under the wheels of the passing train. Reports indicate that Therman had been traveling east while the train, moving southbound, struck the car at the crossing. The train continued several miles before its crew—by then in Laurel, Mississippi—became aware of the tragedy.
Authorities were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident, and the incident sent shockwaves through the local community, who mourned the loss of a young man whose life had barely begun.
Funeral and Community Mourning
Funeral services were held at the Altare Missionary Baptist Church, a spiritual home long connected to the Arrington family. Rev. J.L. Hunter, pastor, officiated the services, offering words of comfort to the grieving family and friends who gathered to honor Therman’s brief but meaningful life. He was laid to rest in the Altare Church cemetery, where generations of his family rest nearby.
The funeral was a somber reminder of life’s fragility, yet it also reflected the community’s shared resilience and the deep bonds that defined the Altare congregation.
A Legacy of Love and Loss
At the time of his passing, Therman’s wife was expecting their first child. On January 24, 1965, a son, Therman Bernard Arrington, was born posthumously — a bittersweet continuation of his father’s legacy. Sadly, young Therman Bernard’s life, too, would end prematurely when he drowned at age 14 during a company picnic, a heartbreaking echo of the family’s earlier tragedy.
Though both lives were short, the memory of Therman Arrington endures through family stories and the continued remembrance of his name among the Arrington descendants of Newton County. His grave at Altare stands as a quiet testament to the preciousness of life and the enduring strength of family ties through generations.
Sidebar: The Tragic Loss of Therman Arrington
In the early morning hours of October 31, 1964, tragedy struck the Altare Community when Therman (Thurman) Arrington, a bright young man of just twenty-one, lost his life in a devastating car-train collision at Bethel Crossing, three miles southwest of Newton. Born in 1943 to Herbert and Margie Mae Jordan Arrington, Therman grew up along Newton Calhoun Road in the heart of Altare — surrounded by fields, family, and faith.
Like many young men of his generation, Therman balanced hard work with hope for the future. Described by those who knew him as quiet and kind, he was the product of a family whose legacy of perseverance stretched back through generations of Arringtons and Walkers who helped shape the Altare Missionary Baptist Church and its surrounding community.
When his car collided with the freight train that dark October morning, the loss rippled far beyond his immediate family. Sheriff Hubert Valentine later confirmed the devastating details — that the train crew, unaware of the impact, continued to Laurel, Mississippi, before learning of the tragedy. The cause was never determined, leaving behind unanswered questions and a community in mourning.
Therman’s funeral was held at Altare Missionary Baptist Church, where his pastor, Rev. J.L. Hunter, led a service filled with grief and reverence. He was laid to rest in the church graveyard, joining generations of his ancestors whose faith had guided their lives.
Only months after his death, a final chapter to his story unfolded when his posthumous son, Therman Bernard Arrington, was born on January 24, 1965. But heartbreak visited the family again when the young boy drowned at the age of fourteen during a company picnic.
Together, their stories echo through time — a reminder of life’s fragility and of the deep bonds that define the families of Altare. Both father and son rest today among the towering pines of Altare Cemetery, symbols of love enduring beyond tragedy.
Resting Place
Altare Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Index to Public Records, 1994-2019
- The Newton Record, Wed, Nov 04, 1964 ·Page 1
- The Newton Record, Wed, Nov 04, 1964 ·Page 10
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