Thelma C. Scheirman

Our beloved Thelma Scheirman of Houston passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 4, 2026, with family by her side. She was born on August 20, 1929, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Straud and Esther Carby. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister Rae Harper, and by her devoted husband, Gene, with whom she shared nearly 64 years of marriage filled with love, faith, and respect.

Thelma leaves behind a family who adored her: her children Scott, Steve, Bob, and Carol, and their spouses Sue Fahrbach, Jessie Scheirman, MaLinda Scheirman, and David Higgins, respectively. Her grandchildren Heather & Marc Bellanger, Ben & Silvia Scheirman, Elizabeth Scheirman, Chris & Diane Scheirman, Tricia & Shane Weller, Jin Guo, Elliott & Liz Scheirman, Rod Scheirman & Topher Grinnell, Marshall Scheirman, Jonathan Kelly & Samantha Lockhart, and Alex & Melissa Higgins. Her great grandchildren are Maddy Licker, Preston Licker, Andrea Tinoco & Tristan Tarpley, Noah Tinoco, Ethan Tinoco, Isaac Scheirman, Isabella Scheirman, Thomas Scheirman, Felicity Weller, Juliana Weller, Brooke Scheirman, Harper Higgins, Emelia Higgins, and Josephine Kelly. Her great great granddaughter is Amélie Tinoco Tarpley.

Thelma loved her many nieces and nephews and they loved her right back. Many proudly called her their favorite aunt. Even in her nineties, she kept up with family and friends through text messages-something she delighted in. She loved hearing about everyone's lives, cheering them on, and staying connected in the way she always had: with genuine interest and a full heart.

Thelma's childhood took her through Louisville and Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Rolla, Missouri; and Winnsboro, Texas. She made friends everywhere she went and kept them close for decades. In high school, she was active, bright, and involved-on the debate team, starring in school plays, and always surrounded by friends. She worked a variety of jobs in her youth, including at a law office where she discovered a love for legal work and wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer.

She instead went to work for Shell Oil Company in Kilgore, where she lived in the Shell girls' dorm, made lifelong friends, and became active in her church community. And it was there that she met Gene, the young petroleum engineer who would become the love of her life. They married in 1951 and built a beautiful life together-one filled with faith, family, and unwavering devotion.

Being a mother was Thelma's greatest joy. She poured her whole heart into raising her children. She was present for everything-scouts, sports, school plays, piano lessons, dance classes, and countless doctor appointments and practices. She sewed clothes and costumes, mended whatever needed fixing, cooked meals, listened deeply, encouraged constantly, and prayed faithfully for her family every single day of her life. She created a home full of warmth, laughter, and memories that her children will carry forever. During the family's time in Westport, Connecticut, she also worked part time for an advertising agency, balancing work and motherhood with grace.

Thelma had a lifelong passion for helping others. She volunteered with handicapped children, was a proud member of Beta Sigma Phi, and gave her time to the United Way, Red Cross, Houston Symphony, and countless school fundraisers. She served as PTA president and as a den mother, always stepping in wherever she was needed.

Her church was her spiritual home. She sang in the choir, led the Women's Club, was president of the Altar Society, planned flowers for major Masses, prepared baptismal needs, organized prayer meetings, arranged lectors, supported the Cenacle, and volunteered with the adult learning program. She also served on the board of St. John Vianney. Her faith was not just something she practiced-it was the foundation of her life, and she lived it with humility, devotion, and love.

She even found time to be civically engaged, volunteering in political campaigns, working phone banks, conducting polls, and serving as a delegate to both the Senatorial and State Conventions in Fort Worth.

Thelma's faith was her anchor. She was a devoted Catholic whose quiet strength, kindness, and grace touched everyone who knew her. She will be remembered for her gentle spirit, her loyalty, her generosity, her grace, elegance, and the way she made every person who knew her feel seen, valued and loved. She was very beautiful both inside and out.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to her dedicated caregivers over the past two years-Antoinette Huggan, Gladys Jeanty, Sharo Daniel, Chessie Johnson, and Debbie Zamudio-whose compassion and care meant so much to her and to all of us.

The Scheirman family will be present to receive friends for Mass of Christian Burial Thursday, January 8, 2026, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail, Houston, TX 77079 at 10:30AM with reception to immediately follow in St. Jude’s Hall. Following the reception, all guests are invited to attend burial services at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery, 13001 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77079 via police cortege at 1:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Thelma's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (or your choice of a charity organization for children) and / or to St. John Vianney Catholic Church.