Thelma Irene Rinehart's Obituary
Thelma Irene Rinehart left this world on October 28, 2014 following a short battle with cancer. Born on March 20, 1924 she was preceded in death by her parents, Oliver and Marie Potter; husbands, Keith Clevenger and Jack Rinehart and sister, Jerry Hunter. She is survived by sons, Steven Clevenger, David Clevenger; two grandchildren, Shane Clevenger, Shannon Durand plus four great grandchildren, Colton and Cambrie Clevenger, Hunter and Grant Durand. Thelma was active in two Dallas churches, Westminister Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir, and the Faith United Presbyterian Church. As a young woman she attended a vaudeville performance featuring Groucho Marx. Groucho spotted her in the audience and insisted on dancing with her as part of his act. Following the brief dance he asked her for a date. She wisely declined his offer. Thelma grew up in the small Kansas town of Elgin and moved to Wichita during WWII to work for Boeing building bombers. She recalled watching the first flight of the B-29 bomber and how onlookers made bets as to whether or not it would fly. There in Wichita she met husband Keith Clevenger where they married in 1942. Five years later the couple moved to Dallas where their sons were raised. In Dallas she developed a passion for golf and bridge, a game she played with friends until age ninety. Following Keith’s death in 1964 she met and married Jack Rinehart in 1967 who passed in 1999. During those years she traveled extensively with her Braniff Airline pilot husband. Known to be a kind and generous person she will be greatly missed by her surviving friends and family. The visitation for Thelma will be from 12:00 to 2:00 PM on November 1, 2014 at Restland Funeral Home. The funeral service for will be held at 3:00 PM on November 1, 2014 in The Abbey Chapel at Restland Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75238. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
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