Thelma Lucas McElfresh

Thelma Lucas McElfresh

Thelma Lucas McElfresh, 93, of Newport Beach, passed

away peacefully on June 20, 2009 at Hoag Hospital. For

all her years, she was an enthusiastic and positive person,

a fiercely loyal wife and mother, a devoted educator and

community leader. Her bright blue eyes were unforgettable,

reflecting her lively mind and spirit. Thelma was born

on August 30, 1915 in Pasadena and was proud of being a

native Californian. She was an elementary school teacher

in Sierra Madre, Escondido, Lynwood, Twenty-Nine Palms,

and Newport Beach. After 28 years as a Southern California

educator, Thelma and her husband Samuel retired to Maui

in 1973. Following Samuel’s death in 1995, she returned to

“the mainland” to live near family and friends.

Throughout her life, Thelma took an active role in local and

national organizations—and that was especially true during

her “retirement.” While in Hawaii, she served as President

of the Maui chapter of the Retired Teachers Association and

presided over its 1982 Hawaii state convention. She helped

organize the Lahaina chapter of the AARP and served as

its 1992 President, traveling on its behalf to Honolulu to

lobby for rights for senior citizens. Since 1979 she was

an active member of the Maui chapter of Soroptimist

International, serving as its President in 1984 and 1985.

Thelma was Chairwoman of every committee in this

society of professional women. In recognition, Soroptimist

International honored her as its 1983 Women Helping

Women recipient, its 1984 Soroptimist of the Year, and

its 1992 Woman of Distinction. Maui County also named

Thelma its Outstanding Older American in 1992.

Thelma was a serious student of Hawaiian culture. She

worked with local experts to become an accomplished

traditional Hawaiian dancer, performing for audiences while

accompanying herself on the ukulele and singing ancient

Hawaiian songs. Finally, she and her husband worked on

behalf of the geographically isolated Ni’ihau craftspeople,

selling unique shell leis to native Hawaiians and visitors to

Maui.

Thelma McElfresh is survived by her sons Samuel Henry

McElfresh of New York City and Ross Edmund McElfresh

of Newport Beach and by her adult grandchildren Katya,

Marin, Morgan, and Paul Max. A private family service

will be held in Thelma’s memory. The family requests

contributions to AARP in lieu of flowers. She will be deeply

missed.