Funeral services for Thelma D Worm, age 91 of Prairie City, will be held at 2:00pm Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at the Beckman Memorial Wesleyan Church in Prairie City. Pastor Brad Burkhalter will officiate with burial at the Prairie City Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Roxie Seaman, Elva Belle Carr, and Eunice Peck.


Serving as Active Casketbearers are Gregory Herman, Michael Herman, Gregory Markel, Dan Beckman Jr, Rich Peck, Richard Peck and Daniel Beckman.


Serving as Honorary Bearers are Ron Herman, Valerie Herman, Carla Markel, Cindy Herman, Annette Herman, Jason and Derick Clark, Nicholas, Jacob, Tayler Herman, Jake and Timothy Herman, Chad, Shane, Quinton, Alec and Madden Markel.


Thelma D Turner was born in Hardin County, Tennessee, on April 3, 1916, to Jesse Hampton and Johnnie Belle (Fitts) Turner. Her childhood was spent at the home place along with her one brother and four sisters. She attended Cerro Gordo Elementary School and was the first in her family to graduate from Central High School in Savannah, TN. She was a member of the New Harmony Baptist Church in Tennessee. Her family raised cotton and she spent many summers in the cotton fields. She worked a short time at a laundry in Sikeston, Missouri.


Thelma met her husband, Emery Worm, while they were both living in Sikeston, MO. They were married in Blytheville, AR and lived in Sikeston until moving to Newell, SD in 1952. They moved to Belle Fourche, SD in 1954 and then moved to Prairie City, SD in 1963. To their union was born three daughters; Barbara Ann, Beverly Joy and Holly Lee. Thelma loved the outdoors and had a garden as long as she was able to. She also loved children and taught Sunday school and Bible school for many years.


She was never too busy to stop and share a cup of coffee with her friends. Thelma suffered a stroke in 2001 and due to her declining health entered the Hillcrest Care Center in July 2005. She provided the residents and staff with many carefree moments.


Thelma passed from this life on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at the Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger to join her husband and other family members in heaven.


Surviving family members include her three daughters and son-in-law; Barbara and Ron Herman, Kennewick, WA, Joy Worm and Holly Worm, both of Prairie City, SD; four grandchildren; Valerie Herman, Yakima, WA, Carla & Greg Markel, Kennewick, WA, Greg and Cindy Herman, Kennewick, WA, and Michael and Annette Herman, Benton City, WA, nine great grandchildren; Jason and Derick Clark, Nicholas, Jacob and Tayler Herman, Jake and Timothy Herman, and Chad (Kristina) and Shane (Chandra) Markel, three great-great grandchildren; Quinton, Alec, and Madden Markel, one brother-in-law, Don Worm and his wife Betty, Stevensville, MT; and one sister-in-law, Dorothy LeLaCher, Citrus Heights, CA.


She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Emery; one brother, Eugene Turner, four sisters; Lura Blackwelder, Ora Lee Blackwelder, Mary Turner and Pluma Blackwelder.