Thelma Kathleen Bryan was born on Sunday July 2nd, 1939 in Hornchurch Essex. She was the first of three children born to Vincent Russell and Kathleen Alice Treeby. 

She attended Dury Falls Senior School in Hornchurch where English was her favourite and best subject, something that gave her a voracious appetite for reading later in life. 
After leaving school she worked near London Bridge as an office secretary for a while although did not stay long before moving back nearer home and working for Regentone in Romford. 

It was whilst working at Regentone that she met her husband and in 1958, both aged 19, they were married at St Andrews Church. Four years later in 1962 they had their first child, Andrew, followed by a daughter, Catherine, in 1967. 

This was a busy year with 3 generations from both sides of the family moving to Paignton seeking an improved and slower pace of life. In 1980 she started work as the Cook at Occombe House where she must have been doing a good job as she remained there until her retirement in 2004. She made great traditional food, skills learned from her own Mum. 

She loved cats and especially her dogs who provided company for her, and were an important part of her life. One of her favourite, and regular pastimes was going out to lunch, usually to a garden centre, where she would happily watch the world go by. 

She also enjoyed reading, gardening and cooking, but most of all she loved being Nan to her Grandchildren, Liam, Connor and Katie. She excelled at being ’Nan’ and would have cherished spending more time with her Great Granddaughter, Sienna.

Thelma will be greatly missed by her family; an unknowing and soft matriarch, who gently influenced us and made us who we are today. She will be comforted to be re-united with her Mum and Dad.