Thelma Elizabeth McDonald
1/16/1928 - 8/16/2020
Thelma E. McDonald, formerly of El Paso, passed away on August 16, 2020 at the age of 92. She was born in Durango, Colorado on January 16, 1928 to Clarence S. Born and Bertha Tausch Born. She loved the outdoors and growing up in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Thelma was a 1945 graduate of Durango High School and continued her studies in business at Ft. Lewis College. After a year of college, she went to work for Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. as a telephone operator. She was very well respected and was quickly promoted to the night chief operator. On July 11, 1950, she married Dick G. McDonald at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Durango. As newlyweds they moved to Santa Fe, NM. Both she and Dick continued their careers in Santa Fe, NM until Dick's transfer to El Paso.
She continued working until the birth of her first daughter, Karen. Two years later she and Dick welcomed their second daughter, Linda. Thelma was a dedicated mom who always put her family first. She shared her talents as a Girl Scout leader, church volunteer, PTA officer, and band booster for the Burges High School band. In 1978, Dick had an opportunity to transfer with American Bell International to Tehran, Iran. Although the time spent abroad was short, she and Dick immensely enjoyed their "adventure of a lifetime". They briefly lived in northern New Jersey before Dick's retirement, at which time they relocated back to El Paso.
She was especially proud of her grandsons and while she wanted to be formally called "grandmother" they fondly nicknamed her "graham-cracker". She loved attending all of their activities and was very proud of their accomplishments. Besides her family, Thelma had several passions, one of which was gardening. She took great pride in keeping her yard in tiptop shape. She enjoyed cultivating her backyard pecan tree and many were the lucky recipients of her generous bags of pecans. For many years, she and a few others spent many hours maintaining the courtyard garden at All Saints Episcopal Church. Although her husband was the golfer in the family, she was the one that had claim to making a hole-in-one at the Cielo Vista Golf Course.
She was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church. Thelma was a past president of the Lower Valley Woman's Club and enjoyed her membership in the club. She was especially proud of the work that she and other club members did to establish a scholarship at UTEP. Also, she was a member of the Beta Gamma Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and served the club in multiple roles. She was blessed with many dear friends and neighbors throughout her life that loved her dearly.
She spent the last several years in the area south of Houston near her daughter Linda as she courageously fought her battle with dementia and amyloidosis. Thelma's kind, independent spirit and gentle smile will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.
Thelma was preceded in death by her husband Dick, parents Clarence and Bertha Born, and sisters Genevieve Thomas and Vivian Johansen. She is survived by her daughter Karen McDonald Lowder and husband Jack, daughter Linda McDonald Crummel and husband Jerry, sister Ilene O'Brien, and brother Allen Born and wife Patricia. She is also survived by her three grandsons: Christopher Crummel, Chad Crummel and wife Charlotte Kies, Michael Lowder and fiancé Katie Hynes, as well as several nieces and nephews.
A family graveside service will be held at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, TX. Honorary pall bearers are her grandsons: Chris, Chad, and Michael. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the All Saints Episcopal Church Memorial Fund (3500 McRae Blvd., El Paso, TX 79925) or the charity of your choice.
Online condolences may be made at https://www.lakewoodfuneralchapel.com.
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