Thelma Thoreson Stelly 1920 - 2009

THORESON, STELLY, OLSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 6/27/2019 at 20:01:46

Onawa Democrat
19 August 2009

Beloved Thelma Thoreson Stelly, 88, died July 31, 2009, in Middleton, WI.

Born October 18,1920, in Soldier, Iowa, Thelma was John and Mathilda Olson Thoreson's eighth child of ten. In 1938, after the deaths of Thelma's parents, a relative, Anna Hong Rutt, invited her to Baton Rouge, LA, to live with her and to study home economics at Louisiana State University (LSU). In 1940, the Iowa beauty married Matthias Stelly, a Cajun student from Sunset, LA, who had fallen in love with her at first sight.

Thelma and Matt relocated to Ames, Iowa, for Mart's PhD and then to LSU for his first academic position. In 1946, they moved to Athens, GA, where Matt had accepted an academic position at the University of Georgia. A 1952 sabbatical to Kenya sparked their interest in travel. Then in 1956, they moved back to LSU. Five years later, Madison, WI, became home when Matt accepted an executive position with The American Society of Agronomy. After many years enjoying their Madison home, Thelma's husband of 58 years passed away in 1998.

A myriad of interests enriched Thelma's life: she sewed her girls party dresses, tended peonies and poppies, cooked Cajun, enlivened blank canvases with her painting, refinished and upholstered weathered furniture, entertained with flair, mothered international students, and delighted in classes varying from Spanish to bridge to oil painting. Weekends Matt and Thelma enjoyed dancing to Big Bands, attending concerts, plays, college sports, and church. They relished travel, especially to international destinations.

Thelma's surviving family includes children Mary (William) Niedermeier of Madison, WI; Julia (Andre) Pemet of Lake Forest, IL; David (Linda) Stelly of College Station, TX; and Carol (Jeff) White of Verona, WI; six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild; as well as a brother Bernard Thoreson (Elayne) of Soldier, IA.

Family and friends will always cherish Thelma's smiles, energy, gentle manner and affectionate nature. To celebrate her life, family gathered in Madison, and soon will travel to her picturesque Iowa hometown to be with extended family. Thelma's funeral will be in fall at the historic Grand Coteau, LA, church where she and Matt were married. She will rest next to him under the romantic Spanish-moss-laden live oaks of St. Charles Cemetery.

Madison family may be contacted at the following addresses: Mary Niedermeier; 2021 Chadbourne Ave.; Madison, WI 53726; marynieder@yahoo.com