Thelma Edith Paul Sonksen (1912 - 2007)

PAUL, SONKSEN, SCANLON, BOGH, BYE, MAUER

Posted By: Pam Wagler (email)
Date: 2/26/2015 at 11:38:50

Le Mars Daily Sentinel
LeMars, Iowa
April 5, 2007

Thelma Sonksen

Thelma Sonksen, of Le Mars formerly of Odebolt, Iowa, passed away Monday, April 2, 2007, at Good Samaritan Village in Le Mars.

Thelma Sonksen was born Feb. 7, 1912, to Allie and Edith (Sheldon) Paul, in Odebolt, the sixth child in a family of seven. She graduated from Odebolt High School as valedictorian in 1930. She received a two-year certificate from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1932.

She married Marvin Sonksen on Oct. 5, 1932. They had three daughters, Janet, Lynne and Judy. They farmed south of Odebolt for several years, moving into Odebolt in 1953. She joined the Odebolt Chronicle staff on April 3, 1953, as a local and social news editor. In 1962, she was named editor of the newspaper. She worked with three publishers, Paul Wagner from 1953 until his death in 1959, Richard Wagner 1959 to 1974 and Robert Miller from 1974 until her retirement in September 1977.

She was a member of the Iowa Press Women and served as a district director at one time. Her popular weekly column “Casual Comments” won awards in the Iowa Press Women competition as did her news stories and social page in the category of weekly newspaper in a town of less than 1,500 population.

She was a member of Odebolt United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Mary Circle, Order of the Eastern Star, Past Matrons, Isis Club, M and K Club, Odebolt Women’s Club, Wheeler Improvement Club and a Birthday Club.

She is survived by three daughters, Janet and Bill Bye of Prescott, Ariz., Lynne Bogh of Le Mars and Judy Sonksen of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; 29 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Fern Chester of Odebolt.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin on Sept. 20, 1993; a grandson, Bill J. Brucker; three brothers, Verne, Archie and Milton Paul; and three sisters, Grace Paul, Winnie Scanlan and Amy Mauer.

Memorial Services for Thelma Sonksen will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 30, 2007 at the United Methodist Church in Odebolt.