PEOPLE Appreciating Thelma’s talent, her Dad bought her an old Treadle sewing machine from the local school for $5 to make her sewing projects easier. She used that sewing machine until she moved to San Luis Obispo in 1951. Her husband, Darwin, was offered a job in San Luis Obispo, which is how they moved to this area. Two of Thelma’s sisters also lived in SLO. The family was very close. Thelma and Darwin had three sons and one daughter.
“hole in ones.” That is a wondrous feat. The first two she got happened before she joined the ladies group. The first hole in one was hit over the creek, which is the most difficult hole on the course. She has gotten a hole in one on every hole at Laguna except for number eight. She still plays with the ladies group at Laguna every Tuesday morning. She has been president of the group for five years at various times. She is instrumental in running some of their tournaments where
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the group gives the money to a variety of charities. One of Thelma’s great honors was being inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame at Laguna Golf Course. An accomplished golfer, accomplished seamstress, Thelma has also accomplished what few others have: a marriage lasting fifty-nine years.
Her sister, Ole, owned a restaurant in town and wanted Thelma to sew head-pieces and aprons for her waitresses. The waitresses needed uniforms so Ole asked Thelma to make them. They were uniforms that a person of any size could wear. The cocktail waitress asked to have a fancy dress made for her. Besides being a cocktail waitress, she was also a hairdresser and in exchange for the dress, she cut Thelma’s hair. It began a lifetime project of exchanging clothes for other services. Thelma has always loved sewing from her early childhood on and that passion has never changed. She continues to be happiest when she is in her sewing room. At one time she would love to have gone to a designer school, but funds were not available. She has made wedding gowns, robes, skirts, just about everything including making suits for the men that were in her daughters wedding party. The wedding gown was stunning. It was lovingly made for her daughter Pam’s wedding. Thelma has learned everything on her own using a book called The Vogue Sewing Book that tells everything about sewing including how to do any project. She still refers to it. Her sister Ole gave her an electric Singer Machine. So after years of using treadles, she now had an electric machine in trade for making all the uniforms. Those who wanted something created had to provide the material for the project. In 1978, Thelma began playing golf. Darwin gave her a set of golf clubs for her birthday and she was very disappointed as she didn’t plan on playing golf. But, she started playing and grew to love the game. Anyone could play at Laguna Golf Course for $15 a month. She would play everyday with three older men. They were the ones who taught her how to play. Then she joined the Women’s Club at Laguna in 1988. The first year of playing with them, she won a trophy for winning a tournament. She won many trophies over the years, but her claim-to-fame are the nine J U N E
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