Obituary for Audrey Ruth Pelham (Thomas)
Audrey Ruth Thomas Pelham, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2023, at the age of 90. Audrey was born on February 27, 1932, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Merle Harold Thomas and Ruth Christine Rodewald Thomas.
She lived nearly all her life in Indianapolis, graduating from Broad Ripple High School in 1950 and DePauw University in 1954, where she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority; she married the love of her life, Howard Andrew “Andy” Pelham in 1959 and raised their family together there. Audrey served as a bookkeeper for multiple businesses throughout the years but cherished her time working alongside her father at Paramount Hardware Manufacturing Co.
Audrey was an active participant in her beloved Second Presbyterian Church – serving as an elder and in a variety of ministries over the years. She helped to retool the church’s children’s ministry program and birthed the Monday Morning Prayer Group both of which are still going strong today. She loved spending time in God’s word and led and facilitated multiple bible studies throughout her years. Her greatest passions were her faith, family, and friends – always providing a quiet, wise, humble presence that touched the lives of all in her circles of influence. Audrey was a mentor to many, even in her last years of life, but in true humility never saw herself in that role.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard A. Pelham. Audrey is survived by her sisters – Eleanor Nash and Ann (Doug) Wade; daughters – Cathy (Troy) Burns and Kristin (Mark) Haase; her grandchildren – Amy (Tim) Carson, Jenna (Kevin) Hack, Chris Burns, Kari Burns, Ben Haase, and Lucas Haase; and great-grandchildren – Katie, Ryan, and Cooper Carson.
Services will be held at Second Presbyterian Church at 7700 North Meridian Street on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 1:00 pm, preceded by a calling in the church’s McFarland Hall starting at 11:00 am. A private family burial will follow at Crown Hill Cemetery. The funeral service may be viewed live at https://www.secondchurch.org/funeral.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Second Presbyterian Church - https://giving.ncsservices.org/App/Giving/ncs-1291 and select the Northside Food Pantry fund or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Heritage Funeral Care in Knightstown. You may send the family a personal condolence at www.heritagefuneralcares.com.
The Hunt family and Heritage staff are honored to serve the family of Audrey Pelham.
She lived nearly all her life in Indianapolis, graduating from Broad Ripple High School in 1950 and DePauw University in 1954, where she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority; she married the love of her life, Howard Andrew “Andy” Pelham in 1959 and raised their family together there. Audrey served as a bookkeeper for multiple businesses throughout the years but cherished her time working alongside her father at Paramount Hardware Manufacturing Co.
Audrey was an active participant in her beloved Second Presbyterian Church – serving as an elder and in a variety of ministries over the years. She helped to retool the church’s children’s ministry program and birthed the Monday Morning Prayer Group both of which are still going strong today. She loved spending time in God’s word and led and facilitated multiple bible studies throughout her years. Her greatest passions were her faith, family, and friends – always providing a quiet, wise, humble presence that touched the lives of all in her circles of influence. Audrey was a mentor to many, even in her last years of life, but in true humility never saw herself in that role.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard A. Pelham. Audrey is survived by her sisters – Eleanor Nash and Ann (Doug) Wade; daughters – Cathy (Troy) Burns and Kristin (Mark) Haase; her grandchildren – Amy (Tim) Carson, Jenna (Kevin) Hack, Chris Burns, Kari Burns, Ben Haase, and Lucas Haase; and great-grandchildren – Katie, Ryan, and Cooper Carson.
Services will be held at Second Presbyterian Church at 7700 North Meridian Street on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 1:00 pm, preceded by a calling in the church’s McFarland Hall starting at 11:00 am. A private family burial will follow at Crown Hill Cemetery. The funeral service may be viewed live at https://www.secondchurch.org/funeral.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Second Presbyterian Church - https://giving.ncsservices.org/App/Giving/ncs-1291 and select the Northside Food Pantry fund or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Heritage Funeral Care in Knightstown. You may send the family a personal condolence at www.heritagefuneralcares.com.
The Hunt family and Heritage staff are honored to serve the family of Audrey Pelham.