Thelma D. Lehman

Thelma D Lehman, 87, of Mcpherson, Kansas, passed away at 10:58 p.m, Sunday, January 1st, 2017 peacefully, at Cedars House. Thelma was born in rural Osage County, Kansas, on August 12, 1929, eldest child of Etta Elizabeth (Morgan) and John George Jacob Dague. She attended grade school in rural Franklin County, rural Osage County, and Shallow Water, graduating from Scott Community High School, Scott City, Kansas in 1947. She began her college work at Fort Hays College, Hays, Kansas that fall, and received her BS in Education from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. She later earned her Master’s degree in Education from Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma. Thelma was a lifelong member of the Church of the Brethren. Over the years, she served in many capacities: Sunday school teacher, camp leader, church board moderator, pianist, Bible School leader,first woman moderator of Southern Plains District Conference, and disaster child care. After moving to McPherson, she also served as a deacon, a member of the funeral meal committee, and was a regular member of the Tuesday quilting group. After receiving an Emergency Teaching Certificate, Thelma started teaching in a one room school in the fall of 1947. During her 36-year career, she taught elementary school in Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana. The final 10 years of her career were spent with gifted and talented students in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. Thelma was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, NEA, and Jefferson Davis Association of Educators (JDAE). She enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, traveling, playing piano, visiting with friends and family, and was the self-appointed photographer at many family gatherings. Thelma Grace Dague was united in marriage to Lawrence Edward Lehman on May 28, 1960, at Prairie View Church of the Brethren, in Friend, Kansas. They established their first home together in Warrensburg, Missouri. She is survived by her children, Lois Larson and her husband Willis, of McPherson, Kansas, and David Lehman and his wife Shelley, of Plainfield, Iowa; her stepdaughter, Margaret Winter and her husband Bill, of Newton, Kansas; her siblings, Roy Dague and his wife Louetta, of Garden City, Kansas, Dorothy Stiles and her husband Vern, of Scott City, Kansas, Emma (Betty) Dague, of Garden City, Kansas, and Robert (Bob) Dague, of Scott City, Kansas; her four grandchildren, Jennifer Smith and husband Derrick, Jeremy Hedrich, Joshua Lehman and his wife Nicole, and Bethany Lehman; her six step-grandchildren, Brian Lehman, Carla Atkins, Perry Winter, Roy Winter, Marc Coulson, and Richard Coulson; her one great-granddaughter, Retta Smith; her eight step-great-grandchildren, Angela Globke, RetaBeth Bramer, Jesse Winter, Brianna Coulson, Brady Winter, Dilan Winter, Sadie Winter, and Maya Coulson; several step-great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and a host of friends. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, John and Etta Dague; her husband Lawrence Lehman; stepson, Lanny Lehman, stepdaughter, Martha Coulson and a step-grandson, Mike Lehman. The memorial service will be held at the McPherson Church of the Brethren, at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th, 2017 with Reverend Chris Whitacre officiating. Visitation will follow the service. Graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at the Prairie View Church of the Brethren Cemetery, in Friend, KS. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to McPherson Church of the Brethren or Heifer International or Brethren Relief and they can be sent in care of the Glidden - Ediger Funeral Home; 222 West Euclid Street; McPherson, Kansas 67460.

Thelma D. Lehman

January 1, 2017