March 18, 2024

Thelma Sammons

Creston

Thelma Sammons, 95, of Creston died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, at her home.

Celebration of life services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at Powers Funeral Home, junction of highways 34 and 25, in Creston. Mary O'Riley will officiate. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery in Cromwell. Open visitation with family present will be 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday before the service. Memorials are to Union County 4-H. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

Thelma, daughter of Raybourn Chester and Edith May Ray Thomas, was born Nov. 11, 1921, in Kent. Thelma grew up and lived in and near Kent until age 10, when she moved with her mother and brother to her grandparent’s farm on the Union Adams Road. She attended Kent schools, country school and graduated from Cromwell High School in 1939. In her youth, she was active in 4-H. After high school, she attended Chillicothe Business College for two years and worked in the Cromwell and Des Moines banks.

On Feb. 18, 1944, Thelma married Clarence L. Sammons at the Presbyterian Church in Creston. After their marriage, they farmed and lived in Adams County, before moving to a farm near Creston spending the remainder of their almost 73 years together. Thelma was a full-time homemaker, active with her children’s school and other activities and farming partner in the family business.

Thelma is survived by her husband, Clarence Sammons of Creston; children, Gayle Sammons (Linda) of Diagonal, Carol Evans (Fred) of San Antonio, Texas, Sharon Wiley (Bill) of Ozark, Missouri, and Claudine Sammons of Creston; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Sherry Sammons Pogranichniy (Roman) of West Lafayette, Indiana, and children, Nicholas of Boulder, Colorado, and Sophia of West Lafayette, Indiana, Dean Sammons (Renée) of Orient and children Branden of West Des Moines and Brooklyn of Orient, Richard Evans (Lisa) and children Allison and Andrew all of San Antonio, Texas, Susan Evans Dionne (Jameson) and daughter Amelia, all of Bennington, Vermont, Troy Wiley (Debra) and son Sean, all of Urbandale, Christina Wiley Lessmeier (Jason) and children, Desiree and Ivan all of Springfield, Missouri, and Matthew Wiley (Leah) and children, Andrew and Liam, all of Marysville, Ohio; sister-in-law Verna Thomas of Indianola; and nieces, nephews and cousins.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, brother Bernard Thomas and brother-in-law Rex Sammons.