Thelma, 97, passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at the Elm Heights Care Center in Shenandoah. Memorials are being directed to the family. Burial will be in the Malvern Cemetery.

Thelma Wahneeta (Shafer) Benedict, daughter of William and Ethel (Moore) Schafer, was born on July 16, 1911 at Unionville, Missouri. Thelma was the oldest of five daughters. She passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at the Elm Heights Care Center in Shenandoah, Iowa, at the age of 97 years, 11 months and 28 days.

On April 29, 1933, Thelma was united in marriage to Paul Everett Benedict of Tabor, Iowa at Hiawatha,
Kansas. To this union was born one daughter, Phyllis. Thelma enjoyed being a school teacher, farmer's wife/homemaker and spending time with her family. She enjoyed cooking, canning, quilting, sewing and crocheting. She crocheted many beautiful afghans throughout the years for her family and friends to enjoy.

Thelma became a member of the Methodist Church in Malvern, Iowa in 1922 and in 1945 transferred her membership to East Liberty Methodist Church north of Malvern. She held many offices and was president of the WSCS. In 1955 when she moved to Shenandoah, she then became a member of the Shenandoah First United Methodist Church.

After Thelma and Paul left farming and moved to Shenandoah in 1955, Thelma started babysitting and babysat for 27 years. She retired from babysitting at the age of 80. The children and their parents became her extended family and they were very dear to her heart.

Preceding Thelma in death were her parents; husband; three sisters; and a grandson. She is survived by her daughter Phyllis and her husband Gene of Omaha, NE; two grandsons, Brian Howard and wife Kathy and Jason Howard and wife Hallie; five great grandchildren; one sister, Frances Anderson of Shenandoah; 10 nieces and nephews; step-son, Phillip Foster of Omaha, NE; three step grandchildren; and four step- great grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.