Thelma Wang, age 68, of Waubun, MN, died Friday, February 27, 2009 at the Mahnomen Health Center Hospital.

Thelma Ilene was born February 25, 1941 in White Earth, MN, the oldest child of Rose (Morgan) and Jerry Rawley, Sr. Growing up Thelma's dad worked construction and therefore, the family moved quite often and lived in several towns throughout Montana and Wyoming, and mostly wintered in Fargo, ND. As a young lady, Thelma started her own family and had decided her children weren't going to be uprooted when they started school. She was living in Frederic, WI, at that time and that's where she made her home and raised her six children.


In 1980, Thelma moved "uphome" to the Naytahwaush, MN, area, and she worked as a nurse's aide at the Mahnomen Nursing Home. On February 26, 1982 Thelma was united in marriage to Marlin Wang. The couple has made their home east of Waubun since that time. Thelma furthered her education and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in social work. She did her internship through Indian Child Welfare and worked with the Foster Care Program, becoming a reunification specialist. Thelma was the ICW Assistant Director and was currently working as the Child Well-Being Project Coordinator at Dream Catcher Homes in Ogema, MN.

Thelma will long be remembered as a caring, compassionate person who helped so many people over the years, both young and old. She was not afraid to share her own personal history of addictions to alcohol and gambling by speaking nationwide. She was a widely recognized advocate for Gamblers Anonymous.

Thelma was a very active lady who was involved in numerous things. She enjoyed shopping, traveling and loved spending time with her grandchildren. Even as a grandma, Thelma was quite modern in the world of technology with her computer and its gadgets and was often the picture and home video taker. She will be greatly missed but not forgotten, by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Thelma is survived by her loving husband, Marlin, of Waubun; two sons, Clinton Burdick, Jr., of Frederic, WI, and Kevin (Lynnette) Burdick, of Luck, WI; four daughters: Debra (Bruce) Voss, of Balsam Lake, WI, Diana (Doug) Ackley, of Whitehall, WI, Donna (Luther Icard) Wong, and Laura (Dale) Rowell, both of Frederic; 14 grandchildren; one great-grandson; two brothers, Jerry (Judy) Rawley, Jr. of Waubun, and Ron (Bev) Lee, of Cass Lake, MN; one sister, Geraldine Strom, of Ada, MN; godson, Levi Rawley and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, two granddaughters, Tawnee and TaeLynn Voss and a brother, Walter Rawley.

Blessed be the memory of Thelma Wang.

Funeral services for Thelma will be held Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 11 am at the Samuel Memorial Episcopal Church in Naytahwaush, MN. Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 3rd from 5-10 pm with a prayer service beginning at 7 pm all at the church.