Thelma Boone Obituary

Thelma Helm Gibbs Boone, 86, our beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003, at a Grapevine hospital.

Funeral: A private celebration of her life will be held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home. Burial: Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park.

Her last two years were marked with pain and illness, but she endured them with grace and courage. She faced life and death with steadfast faith in a loving God. She knew her ultimate glorified state was assured from John 3:16 which reads "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Thelma made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at age 17 and was baptized at Boulevard Christian Church in Fort Worth. Thelma Mahota Helm was born July 25, 1917, in Azle. Her parents were Harvey Augustine and Vera Elizabeth (Dudley) Helm. Her paternal and maternal ancestors immigrated from England in the 1600's. She was a descendant of the Helm, Riggs, Sparks, Lee, Dudley, DeSpain and Robinett families, to name a few. She was a fourth generation Texan. Thelma graduated from North Side High School in 1935 and was married to Eugene Watson Gibbs on Christmas Day 1935. To this union were born three daughters, Nancy, Donna, and Beverly, who rejoice she was their mother. She married Billy Joe Boone April 23, 1949, and they made their home in Colleyville for 30 years before moving to Westlake in 1983. There they built their retirement home, a log house high on a hill overlooking the Circle T Ranch. The street was dedicated using Thelma's middle name "Mahota." Thelma retired in 1979, following a 27-year career with the First National Bank of Fort Worth. She was promoted to personnel officer in 1973, and in 1975, became an assistant vice-president. While there, she was a member of the Business and Professional Women's Club, the Personnel Industrial Relations Association and a member of the curriculum advisory committee for the Fort Worth Public Schools. Our sweet mom penned her memoirs in 1988. She set down for future generations the experiences of her life. There were a few sad songs along the way. We visualized a little girl who climbed upon an old shed in Ponder, Texas and, while banging on a tin pan, sang "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More." She was a child of the Great Depression and it greatly impacted her life. Thelma was conservative about money, yet immensely generous. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, brother Harry Lee Helm, devoted husband Bill Boone, brother-in-law E.L.Boone and special sister-in-law Janice Gibbs Pauling. She blessed her family with overwhelming kindness and compassion and was ALWAYS there for us. We will miss her wonderful sense of humor. Thelma's at home in heaven. Rest well, sweet mom. The family would like to express their gratitude to Angela Self, M.D. of Grapevine.

Survivors: Cherished daughters and husbands; Nancy and Paul Bible of Westlake; Donna and Roger Royce of Austin; Beverly and Ron Lurie of Las Vegas, Nev. Much-loved grandchildren, Douglas Bible and wife Debbie of Hanover Park, Ill., Bethany Smith of Westlake; Ronda Gilburne and husband Adam of Phoenix, Ariz., Benjamin Lurie and wife, Becky of Las Vegas, Nev., David Royce and wife, Christina, of Provo, Utah, Darren Royce and wife, McKinley, of San Clemente, Calif., and Derrick Royce of Salt Lake City, Utah; great-grandchildren who brought great joy, Caitlyn Smith, Taylor Lurie, Jillian Gilburne, Ryan Gilburne and baby Emily Lurie due in December; cousins, Barbara Helm Smith and husband, Jim, of Fort Worth and Leo Helm and wife, Agnes, of Congers, N.Y.; brother-in-law Charles Boone of Calif.; and sister-in-law Clara Bess Lawson of Fort Worth.