Thelma H. Hausner

At the age of 93, Thelma Hausner of Trumansburg, New York; and formerly of Bradenton, Florida, was called home by the angels, June 5, 2015 at Oak Hill Manor Nursing Home. She was preceded in death by Heber, her husband of 57 years, parents Leon and Edith Slaght and siblings Rodney, Leona and Lorraine.

Thelma, a strong and faithful servant, raised her own children and many others that she took care of during the day, long before daycare was invented. They all thrived in a loving household, where the golden rule was instilled daily. She later worked for the Finger Lakes Insurance Company for 10 years. In her retirement, she and Heber were winter residents in Florida and lived in Palma Sola Shores MHP for about 10 years. She worked cleaning houses for friends and neighbors. They also enjoyed retirement by walking every day and attending various musical programs.

Her homemaking talents were learned at an early age and carried out to provide for her family. They included: cooking, cleaning, sewing, knitting, canning, and loving! Her love and spiritual gifts were taught by example. She made gifts with love to share in happy and sad times. (Baked goods, apple pies, cinnamon rolls; banana bread; wild flower arrangements or cuttings from her flower garden; canned peaches, tomatoes, pickles or some cherry jam.) She was always knitting or crocheting something for others such as scarves, afghans, mittens, doilies, or sweaters. She also was truly the mother of invention making do with what we had or what was available. She was a true mother to many and an amazing woman.

Thelma was a very nurturing mother and friend. She always had a smile and friendly manner that made others feel comfortable. Even when the going was tough, she endured with a positive attitude and passed that along to her children.

In recent years, she was a resident at Oak Hill Manor Nursing Home. She was active and ambulatory until 2014. She particularly enjoyed the special programs and activities (bingo, musical sing-alongs, outings to venues in Ithaca, etc.) provided by them. Her love of music was evident until the end.

Thelma’s family thanks all the staff at Oak Hill Manor for their diligent care in the past seven years. They were very helpful as her health and Alzheimer’s disease progressed, by coordinating her health care with the doctors, nurses, aides, staff members and family.

She was a member of the Trumansburg United Methodist Church in New York.

She is survived by four children: Randall (Judith) Hausner of Pensacola, Florida; Beverly (Stephen, deceased) Johnson of Trumansburg, New York; Virginia (Edward) Upshaw, Holmes Beach, Florida; and, Alana (Jim) Kriner of Trumansburg, New York; and seven grandsons: David (Jennifer) Hausner; Douglas Hausner (Scott Flaherty), Chad Johnson, Todd (Becky) Johnson; Taylor (Lacie) Kriner; Jason (Nicole) Kriner and Kyle (Catherine) Kriner. She has eight great grandchildren, Emily and Alyson Hausner; Sebastian Cole and Griffin Johnson; Sophie and Darby Kriner and Illea and Brecken Kriner, and several nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by sister-in-laws Helen Bassett and Wanda Beardslee, and brother-in-law, Walter (Mary) Hausner.

Donations in her memory can be made to Trumansburg United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 628, Trumansburg, New York 14886 or Oak Hill Manor Nursing Home (The Activity Fund), 602 Hudson Street, Ithaca, NY 14850.

A grave side service will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family.