Thelma Opal Thomas, 83, of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at her home. She was born October 10, 1937, in Boicourt, Kansas, the daughter of Benjamin and Viola (Brant) Wurtz, and was the next to the youngest of twenty-five children. She married Marion Elmer Phillips on September 24, 1958, and he preceded her in death on March 25, 1984. Thelma married Otis Thomas on June 20, 2015, and he survives of the home.
Thelma’s first job was at the Western Insurance. She and Marion started Phillips Insurance Agency in 1961 and retired from there in 1996.
In addition to her husband Otie, Thelma is survived by her children, Diana Cavin (Roger), Brenda Bailey (David), and Randy Phillips (Laura), all of Fort Scott; her sister, Lillie Mae Jackson, Pleasanton, Kansas; six grandchildren, Brent (Danielle) Cavin, Fort Scott, Ashley (Peytonn) Cavin, Pleasanton, Kansas, Austin Bailey and fiancée Valerie, of Holland, Michigan, Breanna (Mitchell) Newman, Fort Scott, Bethany (Kahn) Phillips, Shawnee, Kansas; and Jordan Phillips, Kansas City, Missouri; three great-grandchildren, Ginnyfer Cavin, Graham Cavin, and Hagen Newman, all of Fort Scott; and her niece that she was very close to, Carolyn Butler, of Fort Scott, Kansas.
Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Marion Phillips; ten brothers, Virgil Wurtz, Ray Wurtz, Robert Wurtz, Roscoe Wurtz, Willie Wurtz, Lester Wurtz, Lee Wurtz, Albert Wurtz, Ollie Wurtz, Irvin Wurtz; one sister, Rosella Jane Clemens. She was also preceded in death by three half-brothers and nine half-sisters.
Rev. Dr. Jared Witt will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Scott with burial following in Evergreen Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday, June 29, 2021, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
