Thelma Humphreys

Thelma Humphreys was born on October 10, 1909 in Moultrie, Georgia to the union of Virginia Shafer and Washington Hill. She departed this life on November 1, 2011 at Christ Hospital. She was the oldest of five child-ren, and the matriarch of her family. After the death of Thelma?s mother, her dad married Solonie Hill. Both of them had families, and together they had four more child-ren, yielding a blended family of 12 children plus parents. Thelma out-lived everyone in her nuclear family except her sister, Odessa Hill Shepherd, who is in poor health. She also out-lived her husbands, Mitchell Davis and Elbert Humphreys, and her two daughters, Virginia Davis and Wylene Humphreys. Her one son, Jesse Humphreys lives in Miami, Florida.
Thelma moved to Cincinnati in 1942, where she worked as a domestic and used her gift of sewing to supplement her income over the years. She was very frugal, and shared with many relatives and friends. ?Aunt Teddy? (as we fondly called her) had a kind, sweet spirit which was evidenced by her love for others.
Thelma joined the Church of Christ when it was located on Seventh Street. There she studied and grew closer to the Lord and to her brothers and sisters. She later introduced her long time friend, Sister Bailey (now of the Kennedy Heights congregation) to Christ. She was very active with the Sick and Shut-in Ministry. She also enjoyed working with the Jail Ministry. Sister Humphreys was a member of Gray Road Church of Christ for over 50 years. She was unable to attend the assembly very much after the congregation moved from Beecher Street to Gray Road, but the love shown by her sisters and brothers in the Lord always brought her much joy. She loved to
sing and enjoyed having visits from the church?s Jubilee Singers. One church member, Tom McCloud faithfully visited and served her communion often.
After Thelma was diagnosed with dementia (short-term memory loss), she resided at the Alaska Health Care Center. There she kept busy with Bible study and hymn singing. Later she was moved to Glencare Center where she continued to witness of God?s love till the end. She was loved by everyone she met.
Thelma will be sorely missed. She leaves to cherish her memory: one son, Jesse Humphreys (Lucille) of Miami, Florida; one sister, Odessa Shepherd; a devoted grand-daughter, Jacqueline Parker; and a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In her later years, she was faithfully cared for by her nieces, Pearline Walker Singletary and Earlene James of Cincinnati, Ohio.