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.

   

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.

A to Z April Challenge: I is for Imogene

“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 Imogene T. Davis Meadows Kesterson.  She was one of eight girls and one lone boy born to my maternal grandfather's cousin Benjamin Harrison Davis and his wife Fleeta Berry.  Imogene married twice; her four daughters were from her first marriage to Everett Meadows. 

Imogene was Granddaddy's cousin’s oldest living daughter when she attended his funeral in 1963. Because of the order of names signed in the Guest Book, I can picture the cousins of Orvin Davis walking in together. 

Anna Davis Karicofe from Staunton, Virginia was followed by Imogene, a.k.a. Mrs. W. H. Kesterson.  Next were Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Davis – that could be Imogene’s parents or her younger brother and his wife; there’s no way to know for sure since both couples were living in 1963.  Next came Imogene and Anna’s sister Thelma Fultz.

Ben Davis's children:
Sarah Elizabeth, Ruby, Thelma
Edith, Anna

Judging by the large number of girls, I believe these are
the same children.  Could the girl on the right in the back be Imogene?

Imogene was the subject for “I” in the 2013 A to Z Challenge as well. When I wrote about Imogene before, I was busy patting myself on the back for my clever detective work to discover her identity. If you care to read that story, click HERE. 

Since then I have learned one new piece of information about Imogene.  Through her obituary, I learned that Imogene married Walter Kesterson in December 1962.  So she was still a newlywed at the funeral, married not quite a year. 

This obituary was reprinted at GenealogyBank. 

Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, VA) - Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Deceased Name: Imogene D. Kesterson

Imogene Davis Kesterson, 91, of Bridgewater, died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2003, at the Bridgewater Home.

Mrs. Kesterson was born April 30, 1912, in Rockingham County, near Elkton, and was a daughter of the late Benjamin H. and Fleta Berry Davis.

She lived in Staunton before moving to Bridgewater four years ago and was a member of Greenville United Methodist Church. She was employed at Blue Bell, Duplan in Grottoes, and retired from Melpar in Arlington.

On Dec. 6, 1962, she married Walter H. Kesterson, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by four daughters, Margaret T. Comfort of Tempe, Ariz., Vera J. Good of Shenandoah, Burnell M. Comer of Davidsonville, Md., and Faye Crowe of Keezletown; two stepdaughters, Doris Fretwell of Staunton, and Gay Butcher of Florida; a brother, Benjamin Davis Jr. of Staunton; three sisters, Anna Kiracofe of Verona, Ruby Grant of Mint Springs, and Ruth Wilson of Lynhurst; 21 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; 29 great-great-grandchildren and seven stepgrandchildren.

The Rev. Stephen Creech will conduct the funeral 11 a.m. Thursday at the Kyger Funeral Home in Elkton. Burial will follow at Rest Haven Cemetery in Shenandoah.

photo courtesy of JAC

If you are so inclined, you can inspect other interesting and innovative blogs at the A to Z April Challenge.

© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.