Browse the obituary of residing in the province of province1} for funeral details
Obituary of Thelma Mary Letcher (née Sutherland)
Please share a memory of Thelma to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.
View Tribute Book
It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of Thelma Mary Letcher, who passed away peacefully on February 5, 2025, in Invermere, British Columbia, at the age of 95.
Thelma was born on August 21, 1929, in Cranbrook, British Columbia to Eileen and Jim Sutherland. She spent her early years in the rugged beauty of the Kootenays, where she developed the resilience, warmth and work ethic that would define her life. She pursued her passion for education at Normal School in Victoria, training as a teacher. Her career began in Wynndel and later took her to Gold Creek, where fate would introduce her to William “Bill” Letcher (born November 21, 1927).
Thelma and Bill were married on April 23, 1951, in Lethbridge, Alberta, and together they built a life rooted in hard work, family and community. As Bill worked in sawmills—eventually establishing his own sawmill business across various locations in the East Kootenays—Thelma dedicated herself to creating a home filled with warmth and sustenance. Between 1951 and 1957, they welcomed five children: Judith, William, Gail, Verna and Linda.
Around 1961, Thelma and Bill purchased an 80-acre farm in Grasmere, where they carved out a life filled with love and labor. In addition to the sawmill business, Bill tended to the land, raising hay, cattle, and an ever-growing number of barn cats, while running “Bill’s Repair Shop.” Thelma, the heart of the home, cultivated a vast garden, liked raising chickens, fed the family, guests and hired help, and continued to teach and work with the children at Grasmere school. She was also a dedicated member of the Triangle Women’s Institute, an organization committed to supporting families and communities through perseverance and service in their rural and often challenging surroundings.
In 2004, Thelma and Bill transitioned into retirement, settling on a small acreage in Cranbrook. Thelma continued her lifelong passion for gardening, creating a warm and welcoming home, while Bill spent his time tinkering in his shop and caring for his horses, Classy and Snoqualmie.
In 2014, Thelma moved to Invermere, first living with Judy before relocating to Columbia Garden Village. Bill joined her shortly thereafter and spent his final days at Ivy House before passing away on December 13, 2015. Though she carried the sorrow of his passing, Thelma remained a steadfast matriarch, treasuring visits from her family and continuing to embrace life with quiet strength.
Thelma was predeceased by her husband, Bill, and her daughter Linda. She leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion, remembered always by her four surviving children, nine grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Her unwavering kindness, resilience and generosity will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
A life well lived, a legacy well cherished—Thelma Mary Letcher will be deeply missed.
1929 2025
Death notice for the town of: Cranbrook, Province: Colombie britanique
death notice Thelma
Mary
Letcher née Sutherland 1929 2025
obituaries notice Thelma
Mary
Letcher née Sutherland 1929 2025
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Thelma
Mary
Letcher née Sutherland 1929 2025 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
