Luhman, Thelma Fern (Sanderson) 1903-2000

JOHNSON, SANDERSON, LUHMAN, VESTRE, KOCH, LAVELLE, THOMPSON

Posted By: M. Durr - IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 5/18/2010 at 16:07:00

Funeral services for Mrs. Thelma Luhman were held Saturday, March 25, 2000 at 1:30 p.m. in the Community Presbyterian Church at Postville, IA. The Rev. Gary Catterson officiated. The Schutte Funeral Service of Postville was in charge of arrangements. Burial was in the Postville Cemetery. Casket bearers were Jerome Lenth, Gary Anderson, Nathan Anderson, Harlan Sanderson, Richard Sanderson, and Larry Gunhus.

Thelma Fern (Sanderson) Luhman, the daughter of Ole and Tolina (Johnson) Sanderson, was born December 31, 1903 on the family farm near Ridgeway, IA. She was the eighth of ten children. Thelma was baptized in the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ridgeway and confirmed in 1918. Thelma attended rural schools in Lincoln Township, Winneshiek County, and high school in Cresco, IA, graduating from the Cresco High School with the class of 1922. After receiving Certification from the State of Iowa to teach grades one through eight in rural schools, she taught for three years in Winneshiek County.

She passed away Thursday, March 23, 2000 in the Aase Haugen Home at Decorah, IA. She had reached the age of 96 years, two months and 23 days.

On August 12, 1926 she was united in marriage with Hubert Clark Luhman of Postville, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. They resided in Denver, Colorado for several years where Thelma worked in retail sales in downtown Denver. To this union a daughter Valerie was born.

In 1943 they returned to Postville and became partners with Kenneth Sanders in the family business, the Luhman and Sanders general dry goods store founded by Henry Luhman and John Sanders (Millstone Emporium building). Later Thelma and Hubert owned and operated the Hotel Commercial.

Thelma was active in the Community Presbyterian Church and was a charter member of the Postville Senior Citizens Club. She was a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. In 1985 Thelma moved to Ridgeway to be with extended family members residing in the area. She regularly attended Peace Lutheran Church in Ridgeway. In past years she had been a resident of the Aase Haugen Home in Decorah.

Thelma is survived by her daughter, Valerie (Gary) Anderson, grandsons, John Clark and Nathan Mark Anderson, all of Knoxville, Tennessee, sister-in-law, Vivian Sanderson of Decorah, IA, nieces Florence Barnes of Cresco and Shirley Meister of Riverside, CA, nephews Harlan Sanderson of Decorah, and Richard Sanderson of Waukon, and several grandnieces and nephews.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Hubert, brothers Carl, Anton, Roy, Fred, and Alton and sisters, Nettie Vestre, Ethel Koch, Sara Lavelle, and Verna Thompson.

Postville, Iowa newspaper of the time clipping, from my mother's obituary collection. Posted for genealogical purposes, contributor is not related.