Thelma Elizabeth (Crewe) Dodson

Thelma Elizabeth Crewe Dodson was born on March 13, 1930, in Charles City, Virginia to Solomon Chandler Crewe and Maggie Lee Miles. During the early years of her life, she lived with her loving and nurturing grandparents, Henry and Elizabeth Crewe. Thelma departed this life on August 29, 2025.

Thelma moved to Washington, DC to live with her mother when she was 13 years old. She attended Brown Junior High and graduated from Cardozo High School. While attending high school, Thelma met and fell in love with Everett Dodson. They married in 1949. This union produced three children: Everett Eugene, Beverly Ann, and Cathy Elizabeth. In 1964 and 1967 respectively, Thelma became “mama” to Charles Simons and Charles Dyer. Years later, she became “grandma” to their sons Kenneth Antoine Sanchez and Charles Erel Gbogbo-Dyer.

In October 1952, Thelma began her career in the federal government at the Department of the Army, Records Analysis Branch. In June 1955, she moved to the U.S. Civil Service Commission, Security Investigations Section. In February 1971, she gained employment at the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigations Branch, where she worked until her retirement in 1985. Thelma spent her retirement years enjoying getting together with friends, going to Washington Mystics games, attending Washington Wizards games when Kobe Bryant was playing in town, shopping and going out to lunch, traveling, and attending concerts of her favorite artist, Tina Turner.

Thelma was preceded in death by her husband, parents, grandparents, her beloved brothers, William F. and Ellett Crewe and her cherished son-in-law Derek Berrian. She is survived by Everett Dodson, Beverly Dodson and Cathy Berrian of Silver Spring, MD; Charles Simons (Anafe) of Herndon, VA; Charles Dyer (Honorine) of Silver Spring, MD; loving cousins Janice Robinson of Glen Allen, VA and Cathy Miles of Athens, Greece; a devoted sister-in-law Charlotte Crewe of Richmond, VA; half-sister Darnell Wise-Lightbourn of Ashburn, VA; half-brother Wayne Crewe of Richmond, VA.; her chosen family Saundra Boyd, Hazel Dodson, Shirley Holbrook, Dorothy Forster, Gloria Ambers, Angela Brown, and Anna Dore Sangare; and a host of relatives and friends.

A viewing for Thelma will be held Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home, 11800 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904, followed by a funeral service at 12:00 PM.