October 31, 1918 - April 11, 2020
Thelma was born in Wasco, California. She was part of a pioneer family for which the
town of Prather, CA is named. Dance was her first passion; she had the opportunity to perform
summer stock with the San Francisco Ballet Company. She danced the Dying Swan from
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake on the Fox Theater stage. Horses were also a love. She showed horses
in Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Park and the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Thelma was a movie
double, riding horses for leading ladies in Hopalong Cassidy films made on Movie Street in
Kernville. The street is now at the bottom of Lake Isabella.
Thelma flew her own plane, a Tri-Pacer, to the sites of the clubs of the Kern County
Federated Women’s Club, of which she was president in 1962. She was honored to be installed
by Col. Chuck Yeager (now Brigadier General), who pinned an orchid on her at the Bakersfield
Country Club. The Women’s Clubs raised money for the benefit of scholarships for nurses.
She served with the Civil Air Patrol throughout World War II. After the war, she traveled
47 states for five years for Johnson Pump Co. Later, she owned her own business, Agency 2000,
an employment agency. Thelma retired with husband Forbes and traveled the world.
Thelma led a very colorful life. She was most grateful to Laurel and Terry McMahon,
Gerald Howze, and Coleen Van Tassel for their kindnesses.
