Thelma Katherine Dyrr
On January 20th, 2023, Thelma Katherine Dyrr of Quincy, California, gracefully passed on from this life at the age of 85 in the peace and beauty of her own home surrounded by loving family. Thelma joined her husband of 50 years, Clayton E. Dyrr, whom she loved and missed dearly, in eternal peace in heaven.
Thelma was born October 9th, 1937, to parents Sam and Doris Avery in Southgate, California. She began her elementary education on an Indian Reservation after her father moved the family to Washington State to work during WWII. Thelma later attended Bell High School when her family moved back to Southern California, graduating with the class of 1954. Four days after her 18th birthday she married the love of her life, Clay Dyrr, and started their family with the birth of their first daughter, Katy, in 1957.
While Thelma was briefly employed as a secretary for the FBI and later at a doctor’s office, her ultimate calling was raising the family that she and her husband took great pride in building. In 1967, they moved to South Lake Tahoe where they would raise their family. They had 5 children in total: Katy, Diane, Gary, Dean and Erik. In 1980, Clay and Thelma moved their family for the final time to Quincy, CA, where they took over Thelma’s father Sam Avery’s, business — Feather River Materials. While she was always too humble to give herself credit, Thelma was a prudent business woman who oversaw and shared her husband’s entrepreneurial spirit through their local business ventures including River Ranch RV Park in Quincy. Thelma was an avid gardener despite her battle with gophers. She enjoyed traveling abroad and flying places with her husband in their Beechcraft Bonanza. Thelma was a member and past President of Soroptimist International of Quincy and a member of the Plumas District Hospital Volunteers. She was also part of a group of friends known as “Table 12” that met regularly in mornings for coffee at Pattie’s Thunder Cafe.
Thelma’s main passion and devotion, however, was caring for her family and close friends. Later in life her caring passion became her grandchildren: Kristine, Ashley, Sarah, Dayne, Helen, Avery, Ryan, Nicholas, Garrison, and Samuel. She even had the chance to be a great-grandmother to Kinley, Taylan, and Baker Bellah and Abigail Price. All the while she was a loving sister to Anita Johnson and Sindy (Avery) McCosker, and aunt to Jimmy Johnson of Indian Falls and Judy Johnson. She served as a great and caring example to the women of her family including her daughters-in-law Christy, Jennifer, Becky, Lisa and Karen. Thelma was also welcoming of many “honorary” members into her family including Gary Holmbo, John Siebel and Dee Vajgrt.
Thelma was the matriarch of the Dyrr Family. Thelma leaves a legacy of generosity, humility, practicality and grace. May her memory bring us all comfort and serve as a lasting tribute to a life well lived.
Services will be held graveside at the East Lawn Cemetery in Quincy at 1p.m. on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023.