Thelma Doreen Appleby, 102, of Olney died 3:45 p.m. Tuesday (April 2, 2013) in her residence.  Services in Summers-Kistler Funeral Home, Olney, with Pastor Andrew Liston officiating.   Burial in Arthur Cemetery.

Thelma was born Dec. 4, 1910, in Clay City, the daughter of John David and Laura Effie Colvin Travis. She graduated from Olney Township High School in 1930. She attended Business College, Evansville, Ind. After completion she returned to Olney and opened a yarn shop with her sister, Frances Iaun. She also was supervisor at Bell Telephone Co. and retired after 15 years. She married Wayne Appleby, a widower on Sept. 30, 1962 and moved to his farm in Mattoon. Years later they moved to Arthur where her in-laws lived. She was very active in Vine Street Christian Church and worked at R&I Restaurant as a cashier. She was an avid quilter, knitter and cook. She stayed active with family and friends. After 23 years of marriage her husband died. She returned to Olney in 1997 to help care for her failing sister, Frances. She loved to cook and became active in Elm Street Baptist Church. She taught quilting and knitting. She loved to read and work crossword puzzles. She started her day praying for others and studying her Bible.

Surviving are her son, Norman Appleby of Mattoon; nieces, Stephannie (David) Iaun Dasenbrock of Olney; Sharron (Jack) Iaun Tompson of Denver, Colo.; Tanya (Gary) Iaun Bentsen of San Antonio, Texas; Kendall Iaun and Mark Reynolds of Viola, Dela.; 11 great-nieces and nephews; 14 great-great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; three siblings; three nephews.

Published in Herald & Review (Decatur, IL) – Thursday, April 4, 2013