My corner of the Ozarks has been a little sad for the last few days. Mom left behind her earthly shell on July 17.
As I said at her funeral, she would not want us to talk about her. She was always content to be in the background. You could say she was "shy". But as Garrison Keillor would put it, she could get up and do what had to be done.
But I would like to tell you a few things about my mother. She was a woman of faith. She had faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. She had faith that the resurrection of Christ was just the "firstfruits" of those who sleep and that she too would be resurrected. In life she had that faith. Now she sees clearly.
My mother believed in work. She was always happiest when she had work to do. Work was instituted by God before marriage or the church. She was a worker. She made a quilt for each grandson and for each great-grandchild. Whether it was cooking, cleaning, gardening, canning, quilting, or crocheting, she was always working.
My mother was committed to her husband and her family. We all knew she love us, cared about us, and she was always serving us.
You hardly ever saw Mom without Dad. I watched her watch him when I was a kid. Her love was profound.
Mom was a very sweet lady. But there were some things she hated. For one, she hated sin. I found out how much she hated sin at a very early age. I found out that the consequence of sin was a long walk to the peach tree in the back yard to select my own switch.
I'm so glad she got to know all nine of her great-grandchildren. I'm glad our three sons and their families were able to visit her in June. I'm glad Linda and I moved back to Mtn. View six years ago and were able to see her nearly every day since.
Obituary
Thelma Louise( LeBaron) David departed this life on July 17, 2010, at Mountain View, Missouri. She was a loving wife , mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved her family and her Lord. She attended many “ball” games to watch her husband, son, and grandsons.
Thelma was born on January 12, 1928, the daughter of Frank and Myrtle Partney LeBaron at Mountain View. She graduated from Mountain View High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Eugene David on May 9, 1945, at Salem, Arkansas. To this union were born one son, Larry, and one daughter, Janet.
She is survived by her husband; her children and their spouses (Larry and Linda David of Mountain View, Janet and Dwight Ellett of Branson, Missouri); five grandsons and their spouses (Lance and Grace David of Annapolis, Maryland, Kirk and Jeanine Ellett of O’Fallon, Missouri, Andrew and Betsy Ellett of Ozark, Missouri, Bradley David of Nairobi, Kenya, and Matthew and Elizabeth David of Joliet, Illinois), and nine great-grandchildren (Jacob Ellett, Lexie Ellett, Grayson Ellett, Adelyn Ellett, Marian Ellett, Karis David, Olivia David, Emily David, and Jackson David).
She was preceded in death by her parents, and her three brothers, James, Eugene, and Troy LeBaron.
Thelma was employed for 26 years by the Mountain View- Birch Tree School District where she was a secretary and bookkeeper. Over the years she had previously worked at LeBaron and Sons Dairy, Padgett Hardware, Scott’s Family Shoe Store, and others.
Thelma trusted Jesus Christ as Savior during her teen years. She played the piano at church for many years. She also served the Lord in her church as Church Clerk, Treasurer, Sunday School teacher, and Vacation Bible School teacher.
The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, at Yarber Mortuary in Mountain View. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, at Little Zion Baptist Church.
Memorial gifts may be given to Little Zion Baptist Church, Mountain View, where Thelma and Gene worshiped and served faithfully for 57 years.
