SMYRNA, GA: Thelma Earnhart, 83, volunteered for kids
The first Monday of every month for more than 10 years, Thelma Earnhart reviewed doctor reports and expert analysis and heard anguished parents' stories and government workers' findings. She heard the children, too, as a volunteer with Cobb County's Judicial Citizen Panel Review.
"Month after month she would come back to that room filled with tragedy and keep looking for a sliver of hope, trying to get foster children moved to a permanent home," said retired Juvenile Court Judge Jim Morris.
"She was in it forever, which is almost unheard of," he said. "She was extraordinary in her dedication and longevity."
The funeral for Thelma Norris Earnhart, 83, of Smyrna, who died of cancer at Park Place Nursing Home in Monroe Saturday, is 2 p.m. today at Carmichael Funeral Home, Smyrna.
"It was her common sense and problem-solving skills on parenting issues that was of most value to us," said Lina Maxwell, of Marietta, who is the Cobb Juvenile Court program coordinator.
Mrs. Earnhart turned to volunteer work with Cobb County's Open Gate refuge for abused children and with the panel review when she retired after 40 years in the bindery department of Stein Printing Company. There, her problem-solving skills were valued, too, said her son, Luther Earnhart Jr. of Monroe.
"She could always find a better way to do a job," said her son, who once worked with her. "We were doing those long school calendars that hang on the wall. There was a tin on the end to hang it, and it was a problem going through 12 pages to get to December to put the tin on. She came up with the idea of making the December page 1/16 of an inch longer. Then, it was easy to pick up."
She was particularly adept at hand work, running drilling machines and automatic stapling machines, he said.
As a longtime volunteer at Open Gate, Mrs. Earnhart began by using her considerable cooking skills to prepare meals for the children sheltered there, said her son. She volunteered wherever needed, including earning a chauffeur's license so she could drive a van and take the children bowling or to school activities, he said.
Her sense of humor and thoughtfulness were refreshing, said Ms. Maxwell.
"Thelma was just everybody's friend," said Florrie Bowles of Atlanta, whose mother and Mrs. Earnhart were friends for 65 years. "She was a character. She was fun. Everywhere you'd mention to go, she'd be ready to go and have the best time of anybody."
Survivors include a daughter, Pat Purvine of Smyrna, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002
The first Monday of every month for more than 10 years, Thelma Earnhart reviewed doctor reports and expert analysis and heard anguished parents' stories and government workers' findings. She heard the children, too, as a volunteer with Cobb County's Judicial Citizen Panel Review.
"Month after month she would come back to that room filled with tragedy and keep looking for a sliver of hope, trying to get foster children moved to a permanent home," said retired Juvenile Court Judge Jim Morris.
"She was in it forever, which is almost unheard of," he said. "She was extraordinary in her dedication and longevity."
The funeral for Thelma Norris Earnhart, 83, of Smyrna, who died of cancer at Park Place Nursing Home in Monroe Saturday, is 2 p.m. today at Carmichael Funeral Home, Smyrna.
"It was her common sense and problem-solving skills on parenting issues that was of most value to us," said Lina Maxwell, of Marietta, who is the Cobb Juvenile Court program coordinator.
Mrs. Earnhart turned to volunteer work with Cobb County's Open Gate refuge for abused children and with the panel review when she retired after 40 years in the bindery department of Stein Printing Company. There, her problem-solving skills were valued, too, said her son, Luther Earnhart Jr. of Monroe.
"She could always find a better way to do a job," said her son, who once worked with her. "We were doing those long school calendars that hang on the wall. There was a tin on the end to hang it, and it was a problem going through 12 pages to get to December to put the tin on. She came up with the idea of making the December page 1/16 of an inch longer. Then, it was easy to pick up."
She was particularly adept at hand work, running drilling machines and automatic stapling machines, he said.
As a longtime volunteer at Open Gate, Mrs. Earnhart began by using her considerable cooking skills to prepare meals for the children sheltered there, said her son. She volunteered wherever needed, including earning a chauffeur's license so she could drive a van and take the children bowling or to school activities, he said.
Her sense of humor and thoughtfulness were refreshing, said Ms. Maxwell.
"Thelma was just everybody's friend," said Florrie Bowles of Atlanta, whose mother and Mrs. Earnhart were friends for 65 years. "She was a character. She was fun. Everywhere you'd mention to go, she'd be ready to go and have the best time of anybody."
Survivors include a daughter, Pat Purvine of Smyrna, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002
SMYRNA, GA: Thelma Earnhart, 83, volunteered for kids
The first Monday of every month for more than 10 years, Thelma Earnhart reviewed doctor reports and expert analysis and heard anguished parents' stories and government workers' findings. She heard the children, too, as a volunteer with Cobb County's Judicial Citizen Panel Review.
"Month after month she would come back to that room filled with tragedy and keep looking for a sliver of hope, trying to get foster children moved to a permanent home," said retired Juvenile Court Judge Jim Morris.
"She was in it forever, which is almost unheard of," he said. "She was extraordinary in her dedication and longevity."
The funeral for Thelma Norris Earnhart, 83, of Smyrna, who died of cancer at Park Place Nursing Home in Monroe Saturday, is 2 p.m. today at Carmichael Funeral Home, Smyrna.
"It was her common sense and problem-solving skills on parenting issues that was of most value to us," said Lina Maxwell, of Marietta, who is the Cobb Juvenile Court program coordinator.
Mrs. Earnhart turned to volunteer work with Cobb County's Open Gate refuge for abused children and with the panel review when she retired after 40 years in the bindery department of Stein Printing Company. There, her problem-solving skills were valued, too, said her son, Luther Earnhart Jr. of Monroe.
"She could always find a better way to do a job," said her son, who once worked with her. "We were doing those long school calendars that hang on the wall. There was a tin on the end to hang it, and it was a problem going through 12 pages to get to December to put the tin on. She came up with the idea of making the December page 1/16 of an inch longer. Then, it was easy to pick up."
She was particularly adept at hand work, running drilling machines and automatic stapling machines, he said.
As a longtime volunteer at Open Gate, Mrs. Earnhart began by using her considerable cooking skills to prepare meals for the children sheltered there, said her son. She volunteered wherever needed, including earning a chauffeur's license so she could drive a van and take the children bowling or to school activities, he said.
Her sense of humor and thoughtfulness were refreshing, said Ms. Maxwell.
"Thelma was just everybody's friend," said Florrie Bowles of Atlanta, whose mother and Mrs. Earnhart were friends for 65 years. "She was a character. She was fun. Everywhere you'd mention to go, she'd be ready to go and have the best time of anybody."
Survivors include a daughter, Pat Purvine of Smyrna, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002
The first Monday of every month for more than 10 years, Thelma Earnhart reviewed doctor reports and expert analysis and heard anguished parents' stories and government workers' findings. She heard the children, too, as a volunteer with Cobb County's Judicial Citizen Panel Review.
"Month after month she would come back to that room filled with tragedy and keep looking for a sliver of hope, trying to get foster children moved to a permanent home," said retired Juvenile Court Judge Jim Morris.
"She was in it forever, which is almost unheard of," he said. "She was extraordinary in her dedication and longevity."
The funeral for Thelma Norris Earnhart, 83, of Smyrna, who died of cancer at Park Place Nursing Home in Monroe Saturday, is 2 p.m. today at Carmichael Funeral Home, Smyrna.
"It was her common sense and problem-solving skills on parenting issues that was of most value to us," said Lina Maxwell, of Marietta, who is the Cobb Juvenile Court program coordinator.
Mrs. Earnhart turned to volunteer work with Cobb County's Open Gate refuge for abused children and with the panel review when she retired after 40 years in the bindery department of Stein Printing Company. There, her problem-solving skills were valued, too, said her son, Luther Earnhart Jr. of Monroe.
"She could always find a better way to do a job," said her son, who once worked with her. "We were doing those long school calendars that hang on the wall. There was a tin on the end to hang it, and it was a problem going through 12 pages to get to December to put the tin on. She came up with the idea of making the December page 1/16 of an inch longer. Then, it was easy to pick up."
She was particularly adept at hand work, running drilling machines and automatic stapling machines, he said.
As a longtime volunteer at Open Gate, Mrs. Earnhart began by using her considerable cooking skills to prepare meals for the children sheltered there, said her son. She volunteered wherever needed, including earning a chauffeur's license so she could drive a van and take the children bowling or to school activities, he said.
Her sense of humor and thoughtfulness were refreshing, said Ms. Maxwell.
"Thelma was just everybody's friend," said Florrie Bowles of Atlanta, whose mother and Mrs. Earnhart were friends for 65 years. "She was a character. She was fun. Everywhere you'd mention to go, she'd be ready to go and have the best time of anybody."
Survivors include a daughter, Pat Purvine of Smyrna, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002
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