Thelma

(Pyle, Hill, Sherrill, Williams, Rule)

Born: June 11, 1922
Died: April 10, 1972

Biography by Dona M. Egli, Daughter

Thelma Mae Fox was born June 20, 1911, in Coburg, Oregon.  Thelma was the 5th child born to Jim and Dora Fox. Thelma was a welcome sister to Lorena because there were three boys between them. Two other children, Myrtle and James, were born later to Jim and Dora while they were living in Coburg. The last time I drove through Coburg their house was still standing. 

Mom, along with her brothers and sisters, had to do the household and field chores Some said that she would rather work in the house and did as little as possible in the field and garden.

The family moved to Eugene where Irene was born and then to Brownsville where Mom attended high school.  She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1929.  The Fox Family lived in a house that was know as the hospital house.  Dora’s father lived with them while they were in Brownsville.

A family by the name of Egli also made their home in Brownsville.  Jake Egli had a  sawmill on the Upper Calapooya River.  His brothers, Sam and Dave,  worked for him.  Dave was a border in his brother Sam’s home.  David Richard Egli was born in Hubbard on February 7, 1898.  Dave was the youngest of seven children born to John and Lena Egli.

Mom played  the piano at the movie theater in Brownsville.  In those days, the movies that were playing were silent.  While the film was showing on the screen someone had to accompany the movement by playing the piano or organ.  My Dad would join mom at the theater and turn the pages of the sheet music for her.

David and Thelma were married August 23, 1929 in Vancouver,  Washington. Dad and Mom returned to Brownsville where Dad continued to work for his brother.  They lived in a small house on the hillside between Brownsville and Crawfordville. The house is long gone, but the outhouse is still there.

In Albany, Oregon, on April 9, 1930, James David Egli was born to Dave and Thelma. Shortly after the birth of Jim, Dad and Mom moved to Portland.  Dad found a job as a log truck driver and he also cut and sold firewood.  Dad and his family were members of the Mennonite Church in Hubbard.  He and Mom attended many functions with the Egli family.  Dad and his brothers were caught delivering illegal whiskey or “white lightning”, and they were asked to leave the church.

Dona Mae Egli was born to Dave and Thelma on February 2, 1932, in Portland. It was a cold February day and Mom had been in downtown Portland and came home on the streetcar.  When she stepped off the streetcar, she fell.  She was helped up but had to walk up the hill to the house.  Dad met her and helped her into the house, but they found that I was on the way.  They called for an ambulance; but when they arrived, I was already born.  Dad was still driving a log truck, but Mom was getting a little restless staying home and looking after two children.  Since Jim and Dora and some of Mom’s siblings had moved to Long Beach, California, Mom and Dad followed in early 1934.  Mom found a job as a waitress at the Blue Evening Café in Hollywood, and Dad went to work for OSC Manufacturing.

Sally Jane Egli was born to Dave and Thelma on April 28, 1935,  in Long Beach. It was a difficult birth.  Dad was asked which he wanted to save - the baby or mom.  Much to Dad’s relief the doctor was able to save both of them.  Soon after Sally was born, while we were living in Long Beach, Jim and I got the measles.  Mom had moved out of the house, but she returned too soon and got the measles anyway.

There was a 13-year age difference between Dad and Mom.  Dad wanted to return to Oregon and continue their life there.  Mom had been introduced to a more glamorous life in Hollywood, and she did not want to return to the farm life.  Dad and Mom divorced in 1939.  It was agreed that Mom would have us kids for part of the year and Dad would have us for the other part of the year.  Dad returned to Oregon with us kids, and Mom remained in California.

Mom me and married Pascal R. Pyle in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 22, 1941. Mom and Pat were the managers of a bar that was just around the corner from MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.  Mom and Pat were very content with their life. They found that the location of the bar was great location for some of the actors and actresses who worked in the area.

1944 turned out to be quite a year for mom and us kids.  First, her husband Pat passed away very suddenly.  Dad moved us back to California because his health was failing. Shortly after the move, he passed away.  Mom was living in the house in Long Beach where her parents, Jim and Dora, lived before they returned to Oregon.   

Mom met and married Roscoe Thomas Hill in 1944.  Ross was from Georgia and was recently discharged from the Army.  Mom and Ross along with us kids packed up and moved across the country to Florida in December 1944 to begin life as a new family.

Mom opened a café in Winter Haven.  She was known for her home cooked meals featuring dishes she had learned from her mother, such as chicken and slickers and peach cobbler.  Life was different in Florida, but it was made more bearable when her brother Ray and his wife Eve moved to Florida.  Mom and Ross divorced in 1948.

Mom met and married Thomas Boykin Sherrill, II, in May 1949.  Mom and Tom moved toTampa, Florida.  Tom was part owner in a large family-owned orange grove just north of Tampa.  They led a quiet and full life.  Mom loved to get up early and saddle her horse and ride into the grove to collect oranges and grapefruit for breakfast.  She also loved to fish in the lakes that were on the property.  She was always happy when family members came to Florida for a visit.  Jim and Dora would ride in the buggy with them around the grove. Tom passed away very suddenly in December 1957.
 

Thelma met and married Frederick Merle Williams in April 1958.  Fred was a musician and traveled.  I used to tease him about caring his organ around in a trailer.  Mom would travel with Fred to the Bahamas, Florida, New Mexico and Las Vegas.  They made their home in Las Vegas where Mom went to work at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.  Mom enjoyed showing family members Las Vegas.  I remember when Jim and Dora came for a visit and Mom took them to a very popular show that featured topless show girls.  This was a dinner show and dinner was served just as the show began.  When the lights came back up, Jim had not touched his dinner; and Dora said she thought the costumes were very nice.  I would drive over from Albuquerque to visit, and she would take me to shows.  Fred passed away in July 1965.

Thelma met and married Paul Edward Rule in February 1967.  They had homes in Las Vegas and in Apple Valley, California.  Mom and Paul both were employed at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.  Mom was president of the LasVegas Business and Professional Woman.  She became acquainted with many of the women of Las Vegas who were employed in positions of influence.  Paul was a very ambitious man and wanted to live far beyond his means.  He became mixed up with the bad guys and before Mon knew it they were very deeply in debt.  Mom had to go out of the country to get him home and in doing so she lost everything except her home in Apple Valley. Thelma and Paul were divorced in 1971.

Mom moved to her home in Apple Valley where she became involved with the Apple Valley locals.  She enjoyed her life in Apple Valley. She was trying to get a position at the hospital as a bookkeeper.  Mom had to pass a physical, and it was discovered that she had cancer. Mom passed away in April 1972.  Mom is buried at the Crowfordville Union Cemetery near her father and mother, Jim and Dora Fox.  Mom loved life, her family and friends. She lived it to the fullest.

A conformist she wasn’t; a lady she was.