Thelma Helen Luedtke Knight

Graveside service: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Moore Memorial Gardens, Arlington, with the Rev. David Kiel of Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Granbury officiating.

Thelma was born Oct. 25, 1918, in Fort Worth to Helen and Lewis Luedtke, who owned a small grocery store. She was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Worth. At 12 years of age, she became the mother to her two brothers when her mother suddenly passed away. The family suffered terribly during the Depression when they lost their family store. Thelma quit school early, as she did not have the money for school clothes. Her life changed for the better when she married J. Frank Knight on Dec. 7, 1939, before he enlisted in the Army Air Force. She studied accounting through correspondence courses she found in a magazine ad. Thelma worked into her 70s at Ryan Mortgage Co. in Fort Worth, where she rose to the position of vice president. She loved cooking, sewing, poker, 42 and golf. Thelma and Frank retired on the golf course at De Cordova Bend Estates in Granbury with many friends.

Survivors: Children, J. Frank Knight Jr. and wife, Jan, of Mansfield and Helen McCarthy of Fort Worth; family friend, Richard McCarthy of Granbury; grandchildren, Sam Knight of Mansfield, Thomas and Mark Knight of Waco, Jennifer and husband, Eric DuPlessis, of Euless and Jimmy McCarthy of Granbury; and great-grandchildren, Hannah, Houston, Hallie, Laura and Madeline.