Yarbrough, Thelma Dietel Gallagher

Thelma Dietel Gallagher Yarbrough died of natural causes on 
Wednesday, December 27, 2006, at Summer Meadows Nursing Home. 
She was born September 9, 1917, in New Braunfels, to Bruno and 
Olga Baus Dietel. She was preceded in death by her parents; 
two brothers, Marvin and Bernhard; husband of 26 years, Ben F. 
Gallagher; and husband of 16 years, Don M. Yarbrough. Her early 
years were spent in Dallas, where she graduated from Woodrow 
Wilson High School in 1935, and attended what is now the 
University of Texas at Arlington. She then went to work for Civil 
Service, issuing social security numbers at the start of that 
program. In 1949, she and her family moved to Marshall, where she 
became executive secretary to the first five general managers of 
the Longhorn Division of Thiokol Corporation, working there for 24 
years. She had been an active member of the First Christian Church 
for more than 54 years, and was a member of the Sons of Hermann 
Lodge for more than 70 years. She is survived by her son and 
daughter-in-law, Ben and Gwen Gallagher of Longview; grandchildren 
and their spouses, Michael and Cameron Gallagher of Pearland, Texas, 
and Paul and Julie Gallagher Cummings of Brentwood, Tennessee; four 
great-grandchildren, Rylee and Reed Gallagher, and Charlie and 
Benjamin Cummings; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Also 
surviving are her stepchildren, Jean Yarbrough Smoley, Joan 
Yarbrough McCollough, and Joe Yarbrough. Graveside services will be 
held 10 a.m. Saturday, December 30, 2006, at Algoma North Cemetery 
in Marshall. The family wishes to especially thank her special 
friends, Jean Shaw, the Reverend Janice Hill, the Reverend Carl Teel, 
Rita Lily, and the caregivers at Summer Meadows Nursing Home and 
Heart'sWay Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that 
memorial contributions be made to the First Christian Church at 1101 
Indian Springs Road in Marshall, or the hospice of your choice. A 
memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 12/30/2006.