Shirleen Ruth Thomas, woman of faith

Shirleen Ruth Thomas, 95, of Lewes, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, at The Moorings at Lewes. She was born Sept. 15, 1928, in Altoona, Pa., daughter of the late Charles and Alice (Ammerman) Mathieu.

Shirleen was a child of God, and her strong faith was a cornerstone of her life. She was the first female deacon at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church in Newark and a Sunday school teacher for over 30 years. More than anything, Shirleen loved her family fiercely, and home is where her heart was, always prioritizing family time. She will most be remembered as a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her memory will continue to bring comfort to those who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

In addition to her parents, Shirleen was predeceased by her husband, Richard L. Thomas, who passed away Oct. 24, 2001; and five siblings. She is survived by her sons, Rick Thomas (Robin) of Newark, Randy Thomas (Jody) of Lewes, Craig (Karen) Thomas of Lewes; her daughter, Raelyn Thompson (Steve) of Lewes; her 11 grandchildren; her seven great-grandchildren; her brother, James Mathieu of Los Angeles, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 15, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Hwy., Lewes, where friends and family may call beginning at 2 p.m. Burial will take place at 1 p.m., Thursday, March 14, at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear.

All unable to attend the services are invited to join the service via livestream by visiting: parsellfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/permalink/11306351/LTWebcast.

Visit Mrs. Thomas' Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.