Thelma June (Miller) Herman

June 6, 1926-Oct. 25, 2009

Thelma June (Miller) Herman was born June 9, 1926, in Sterling, Ill., to Albert and Anna Miller. The family moved to Tama, Iowa, when she was five, then to a farm close to Marengo, Iowa. She married Dean Herman on May 24, 1947, in Marengo, Iowa, and died on Oct. 25, 2009, in Lenexa, Kan.

Thelma's parents and husband preceded her in death. She leaves to celebrate her life eight children and their spouses: Elizabeth (Gary) Leach, Merriam, Kan; Stephen (Diane), Curtis, Neb.; Marijo and good friend, Joe, Lincoln, Neb.; Timothy, Maywood, Neb./Portland, Ore.; Jonathan (Karmin), Olathe, Kan.; Benjamin (Janis), Olathe, Kan.; Jenifer (Dave) Cedillo, Overland Park, Kan.; Andrea (Dhruba) Chakravarti, Omaha, Neb. She also leaves nine grandchildren: Molly Herman, Prague, Czech Republic, Thaddeus, Portland, Maine, Georgia Herman, Lincoln, Neb., Chelsea and Matthew Herman, Olathe, Kan., Reggie, Sydney Herman and Haley Anderson, Olathe, Kan. and Brandi (Jason) Carlisle, Raymore, Mo.; and two great-grandchildren, Katie and Lauren Carlisle, Raymore, Mo. She is also survived by a brother, Stanley Miller, Washington, DC, and a sister, Grace (Derwin) Tunks, Bucyrus, Kan., six sisters-in-law, four brothers-in-law and numerous nieces, nephews and other family and friends.

Thelma moved from her Iowa home to Illinois, to attend college with Dean. After they married, they moved to Iowa City, then to Kansas City, to McCook, Neb., and settling finally in Curtis, Neb.

If Dad's presence was all powerful, Mom was the heartbeat of the family. She was the consummate mother -- she loved all children and they loved her right back. She was mother to her children and her children's friends, if they needed her. And she was also a wonderful grandmother.

She filled many roles -- pastor's wife, mother, bookkeeper, cook, and even worked part-time at Sunset Haven after her children were grown. She cared for the nephews that spent summers working with Dad. She taught Bible School and Sunday school. She cleaned the church. She could make a dinner for many people with one pound of hamburger and some potatoes at a moment's notice. She was an avid reader, particularly enjoying Dickens and Agatha Christie. She enjoyed walking and all of nature, especially birds, often telling stories of the animals on the farm on which she grew up.

She was devoted to her husband and helped with his care until his death in April 2008. She was a most loving and dedicated mother to her eight children. Even as we celebrate her life, we greatly mourn her passing.

Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m., with the family present from 7-9 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. at Blase-Wetzel-Strauser Memorial Chapel in Curtis, Neb.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Curtis United Methodist Church with Pastors Lana Fong and Greg Hall officiating.

Burial will take place in the Curtis Cemetery.

Donations in her memory are suggested to Sun Valley Indian School, 8450 S. Sun Valley Road, PO Box 4013, Sun Valley, AZ 86029-4013 or Good Shepherd Hospice, 7611 State Line, Kansas City, MO 64114-1670

Online condolences may be left for the family at blasestrauser.com

Arrangements are under the direction of Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel.