THELMA PEHRSON

Thelma Alice Butler was born 1 January 1918, the daughter of Thomas A. Butler and Alice Corinne Cox. She passed away on September 1, 2017 at the age of 99 years and 8 months.  She grew up on the family farm across the road from Browns Chapel five miles south of Indianola. She attended Browns School and graduated from Indianola High School (1935) and Simpson College (1939).

Thelma taught home economics at Conway, then Swea City, Iowa, where she met Orville Ray Pehrson. They were married on 30 December 1942, and farmed in the Swea City area. After the war, they moved to the Browns Chapel neighborhood, farming there for more than 40 years. Thelma gardened, canned, cooked, baked, sewed, and chauffeured the children to music lessons, 4-H activities and multiple school activities.

Thelma and Ray were the parents of three children. When the children were attending college, she went back to teaching, this time helping junior high students at Southeast Warren understand science.

Ray and Thelma particularly enjoyed traveling to Colorado, Europe, New England, and Kentucky. Thelma's hobbies included reading, acrylic painting, genealogy, Farm Bureau Women, Indianola Federated Women's Club, Milo Study Club, serving as class correspondent for her college class, and being Librarian at the Warren County Historical Society; she received the society's first Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008.

Ray and Thelma were long-time members of Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola, where the both served terms as elders. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Women, and enjoyed the MacNichol fellowship group.

Thelma is survived by her children, Marieta (Dave) Grissom of Indianola, John (Judy) Pehrson of Rapid City, SD, and Marilea (Merrill) Chase of Milo; grandchildren, David (Jenifer), Randall (Megann) and Scott (Kim) Grissom, Indianola, Tom (Tina) Pehrson, Drake, CO, Kimberly (Tim Abraham) Pehrson of Rapid City, SD, Jennifer (Justin) Williams, Ankeny, and Lindsay Chase, Waukee; great-grandchildren, Koelten, Tyler, Kassidy, Wyatt, Elena, Scarlett Grissom, Jaiden Wallander, Thaddeus and Oliver Pehrson, and Carter Chase. Thelma was predeceased by her husband; parents; brother, William Howard Butler and great-grandson, Justin Nimmo.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, September 5 at Trinity United Presbyterian Church where family will be present to greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Presbyterian Church or the Warren County Historical Society.