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MILTON — Thelma May Kearns, 96, of Milton, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg. She was a resident at Kramm Health and Rehabilitation for the last four years.
She was born Feb. 4, 1916, in Duquesne, a daughter of the late Benjamin L. and Gertrude (Hauser) Bowen. She was married to Thomas F. Kearns Jr., who preceded her in death after a marital union of 23 years.
Thelma graduated from Duquesne High School, Conley’s Secretarial School and Burrough’s Business School in Pittsburgh.
In 1949, she and her husband moved to Milton, where her husband worked for Boiardi Steel. After many years as a homemaker, she worked at the Milton Area Junior High School as attendance secretary for 21 years, retiring in 1990.
She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Milton Garden Club, Milton Women’s Club and Milton Historical Society.
Thelma is survived by one son, Thomas Bowen Kearns, and daughter-in-law, Evelyn; two granddaughters, Stefanie Kearns and husband Steve Suloff and Amy Kearns Ross and husband Eric; three great-granddaughters, Sara Grace Ross, Julia Marie Ross and Kaelin Kearns Suloff; one sister, Marie Griffin; one niece, Judith Gayle, of Columbus, Ind.; and two nephews, Mark Griffin, of Denver, Colo., and Wayne Griffin, of Hot Springs Village, Ark.
She was preceded in death by one son, Timothy Hauser Kearns in 1980.
Friends and relatives will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Shaw Funeral Home, 400 N Front St., Milton, where the funeral will follow at 11 with Msgr. William S. Richardson officiating.
Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Milton.
The family will provide flowers and asks that memorial contributions be made to St. Joseph Church, 109 Broadway, Milton, PA 17847, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
