Thelma was a long-time supporter, advocate and friend of St Oswald’s Hospice. In October 2024, at the age of 93, Thelma died and earlier this year, we learned that she had left a gift in her Will to St Oswald’s Hospice.
Alyn, Thelma’s nephew shared, “Thelma was truly beautiful inside and out. She was so generous, kind and compassionate, and always had time for people.”
Born in Ashington in 1931, Thelma – known to many as Auntie Thelma – lived there her whole life and spent several years working in the Accounts Department of the Co-op Dairy, a job she loved.
Described by her family as a glamourous woman, Thelma never went anywhere without her lipstick on, nails painted and hair styled therefore it seems fitting that her favourite place to holiday was the Isle of Capri. A haunt of the rich and famous, Thelma made her first trip there in the 1970s and was swept up in the glamour and excitement of it all and loved it.
Margaret, Alyn’s wife, said, “Thelma was always immaculate, even when she had to move into care. She was still wearing her contact lenses instead of her glasses well into her 80s and continued to wear eyeliner – still perfectly applied!
She continued to embrace life, joining in with all the activities at the home for as long as she was physically able to.”
The care and support that Jennifer and Thelma received from St Oswald’s Hospice was something that stayed with Thelma for the rest of her life.
Such was the impact of the Hospice on her life, Thelma successfully put St Oswald’s forward for a grant which helped to pay for a brand new therapy room, enabling patients to receive complementary therapy treatment during their stay.
Alyn said, “St Oswald’s remained close to Thelma’s heart, she was so passionate about the work of the Hospice and forever grateful for all that they had done for Jennifer. She was so proud, along with our whole family, to have secured the funding for the therapy room.”
This act of kindness was something that came naturally to Thelma. She took great pleasure in looking after her family, often making and baking delicious treats –Victoria Sponge and Ham and Egg Pie being amongst the favourites – something they all appreciated.
Christmas was a particular highlight for Thelma. Known for her attention to detail and beautifully wrapped gifts, she loved being with her family.
Every year, Thelma always took the time to remember Jennifer, by attending the annual Light up a Life event and dedicating a light on the tree in Jennifer’s memory.
Alyn added, “She was always happy, and had a joy for life that never left her, despite the difficult and sad times she’d experienced in her life. She’s a big miss.”
Thelma often visited St Oswald’s Hospice and spent time in the Cloisters Garden. The Cloisters is a peaceful outdoor space, where three specially designed tribute sculptures are installed, each filled with leaves dedicated in memory of loved ones.
Jennifer’s leaf sits on our tribute tree sculpture. Following Thelma’s death, Alyn and Margaret have had her name added to the leaf.
On a recent visit to see the tribute leaf, Margaret said, “What strikes us about St Oswald’s Hospice is that everyone is upbeat and it’s a happy place, even when things are sad, the warmth of everyone here is what keeps people going, and that’s really important.”
Katy Final, Senior Specialist Fundraiser, added, “Thelma was such a lovely lady, and she will always hold a special place in all our hearts here at St Oswald’s Hospice. We’re so grateful to her for leaving a lasting legacy to the hospice through a gift in her Will. This will help to ensure we can continue to be here for those who need us now and in the future.”
Could you leave a gift in your Will to St Oswald’s Hospice? Find out more and download our free Will Guide here.
