He was the uncle of Philippe III de Thurey, Archbishop of Lyon.
[6] In 1348 William of Thurey founded, with his brother, Girard, a chapel in the church of Cuisery.
In 1349 he accompanied Henry de Villars, Archbishop of Lyon, to get and escort Charles, Dauphin of France.
He was chosen as the Thurey family had been strong supporters of the king.
In 1358, he sent a contingent under the command of his brother Girard Thurey against the Tard-Venus bandits who had occupied Pont-Saint-Esprit.