Thursday, April 23, 2015

A to Z April Challenge: T is for Thelma


“We need to get together more often and not at a funeral.” How many times have you and a cousin said that? Funerals are much like a family reunion. You can learn a lot about a family just by looking at who showed up. Using my grandparents’ guest books and sympathy cards, I’ll be exploring “Who came to the funeral?

is for Thelma Loretta Davis Fultz Helmick. She was one of the Davis cousins (technically first cousins once removed) who attended my grandfather’s funeral in October 1963.

Thelma was the fourth daughter born to Granddaddy’s first cousin Benjamin and Fleeta Berry Davis; eventually there were four more girls and a boy.
Children of Benjamin Davis  http://jollettetc.blogspot.com   
Back: Sarah Elizabeth, Ruby, Thelma
Front: Edith, Anna

When Thelma was born, the family was in Martinsburg, West Virginia. But by 1920 the family had returned to Virginia and were living first in Shenandoah and later in nearby Elkton. Her father Benjamin worked as a car repairman for the steam railroad.

In 1934, Thelma married Howard Newton Foltz/Fultz. They had four children.













When Thelma attended Granddaddy’s funeral, she herself had been a widow for two years. But she found love again and married Elmer Helmick in 1964. 

Thelma retired from the Genesco-L Grief Company in 1978. Until I Googled, I thought she worked for some kind of bereavement organization. However, it turns out Genesco-L Grief is a clothing manufacturer. Perry Ellis is one of its labels. It’s interesting to Google “Genesco-L Grief” just to see all the obituaries pop up about people who retired from there.

Thelma died in 1999. She is buried alongside her first husband in Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro, Virginia.

from Findagrave.com
photo courtesy Marlin Diehl

I am no toady who would try to thwart the throngs in their tenacious trek through the terrain called the A to Z April Challenge.


© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

14 comments:

  1. How lucky for your family that you have done so much research.

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    1. A few of them appreciate it, I'm sure. Thanks for visiting.

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  2. Every family should have someone who is willing to do this research. My Mom has done a lot of it for our family....maybe I should teach her to blog (after all, she's mastered email and got a smart phone long before I did :D ).

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    1. Good idea - then everyone in your family will reap the benefit of her work.
      Thanks for the visit.

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  3. Glad she found love again, but what an interesting company she worked for. I too would have thought it had something to do with bereavement or funerals.

    betty

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    1. Yes, the company name is rather funny, but they manufactured for a lot of famous labels. Thanks for visiting so faithfully.

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  4. I love all of the photos and other personal items you add to their stories.

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    1. The stories are never even close to complete, but it's fun to find SOMETHING to add some pizzazz.

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  5. Girl, this is amazing information!!! I can't believe you have found so much out about the different members of the family. I am so proud of you! and our family. I am so glad you have taken an interest in finding out about Granddaddy's cousins and friends. It is good to know so many people thought so highly of him, even though he had been out of the area when he passed away. He is a good way to get to know him. You're the bomb!


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    1. The biggest surprise is finding all the Davis connections.

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  6. My parents have been putting together research with photos going back to the 1880s.

    Stephen Tremp
    A-Z Co-host
    T is for Telepathy, Telekinesis, and Teleportation

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    1. I hope you appreciate their work. It isn't easy.
      Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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  7. I think it is wonderful that you have been able to discover so much about your family.

    Blessings,
    Theresa

    https://pronetoponder.wordpress.com/

    https://serenadedinseconds.wordpress.com/ A-Z Challenge- "Blossoming Verses"

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