THALMA "THAL" SHAW
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Memorial for Thalma (Thal) Ilene Shaw
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Born in Tippecanoe Township, Marshall County, Indiana on Sep. 27, 1915
Passed away Jul. 4, 2009 and resided in South Bend, IN.
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No Visitation
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Thursday, Jul. 9, 2009
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Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.
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Thalma Shaw, 93, of South Bend, Indiana, passed away peacefully, Saturday, July 4, 2009, with her three children at her side. Thal was born on September 27, 1915 to the late Jenny and Purl Stukey in Tippecanoe Township, (Marshall County), Indiana. She was the fourth of five children and was predeceased by all her siblings.
In 1932, she met Don Shaw on the banks of the Tippecanoe River at a church picnic and so began a very long and loving relationship. After her graduation from Indianapolis Business College and employment for several years at the Indianapolis Life Insurance Company, Thalma and Don were married on December 24, 1939 at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church in Plymouth. They shared 60 wonderful years of marriage until his death in 2000. She had patiently waited nine years to be reunited with Don. She is survived by her children, Susan and David Fixler of Dallas, Texas, Terrance and Margaret Shaw of Essex, New York, and Jeffrey and Judy Shaw of Kemptville, Ontario, Canada; five grandchildren, Heidi and (Philip) Verges, Bradford and (Lisa) Fixler, Rebekah and (Carlo) Balboni, Christopher Shaw and (Juli Phillips), Tiffany Shaw and (Alex Mueller). She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren; Jackson, Madeleine, Esther, Grace, and Vivienne Verges; Anna, Nicholas, and Alexander Fixler; Giovanni and Delano Balboni; and Harriet and Louise Mueller.
Thalma loved nature, walking, animals, reading, cooking, and Hawaii. She was the family champion gin rummy player and a whiz at crossword puzzles. She was characterized by her graceful acceptance of life-long deafness, and her legacy of love and devotion will live on in her family.
Thal had been a member of the Episcopal Church since 1939, and served on the altar guilds of both Saint James and Saint Michael and All Angels churches in South Bend. She actively participated in the formation of the original mission of Saint Michael's.
The VAN GILDER FUNERAL HOME, 300 West Madison Street, Plymouth, Indiana, 46563, is in charge of the arrangements. A memorial service will be held at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, 400 North Center Street, Plymouth, with the Rev. Margaret Shaw officiating, on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Thalma's remains will be cremated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Attn: Development; 3417 Volta Place NW; Washington, DC, 20007 (development@agbell.org) or Humane Society of Saint Joseph County, Indiana; 2506 Grape Road; Mishawka, Indiana, 46545-3004.
Friends and family are invited to sign the guest book and share memories of Thalma with her family at www.vangilderfuneralhome.com
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