Austin, Thelma Rice

Thelma Lunna Austin, 82, of Caudill St. in Pearisburg, departed this life at her home Saturday evening, May 19, 2007 to join her late husband, Charles Lee Austin, who passed away on May 1, 2007.

Born on May 24, 1924, she was a daughter of the late Henry Cecil and Nellie Gray Janney Rice and stepdaughter of the late Bertha Lawson Rice. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, New River Ward in Pembroke and attended Bethel Chapel Church in Clendennin where she grew up. She was a business woman who had worked as a waitress, seamstress, had established a thriving rental business, and was proud to be a licensed CNA and did extensive private duty nursing in homes, in hospitals, and nursing homes.

She was preceded in death by a son, George C. Austin; sisters, Louise Ratcliffe, Eula Selmer, Alice Stewart and a half sister, Wanda R. Hale; brothers, Dolford, Frank and Manuel Rice. She leaves to cherish her memory a son and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Doris Austin of Pearisburg; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Pleg Hubbard of Montcalm, W.Va. and Violet and Donald Epling of Pearisburg; brothers, Watha C. Rice of Peterstown, W.Va., Mason Rice of Dublin and half brothers, Paul Rice of Roanoke, H.C. Rice of Salem, and Mark Rice of Pembroke; sisters, Cleo R. Tate of Pearisburg, Ethel R. Burkholder of Salem and half sisters, Lois Blankenship of Roanoke, Reba Smith of Roanoke, Sharon Carbaugh of Pembroke; 24 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. in The Kendall Funeral Home Chapel at 605 Snidow St. in Pembroke. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Online condolences may be sent by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.