Thelma Mae Smith

Thelma Mae Smith, formerly Thelma M Rock, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend passed away peacefully on November 2, 2025 in her sleep in Houston, Texas. Her always friendly smile will be greatly missed.

Born on September 16, 1927 in Paola, Kansas to Delbert Perry Burris and Polly Agnes Sherwood Burris, Thelma was the second of five children, three boys and two girls. She grew up in the rural areas of southeast Kansas, including Bush City, Willowbranch, Minkler and Garnett. As a farm girl during the depression and World War II, Thelma learned the value of hard work and responsibility. Yet she delighted in the freedom of country life, exploring the outdoors. Thelma often recalled times of grand adventures with her siblings, often ending with rescues by her big sister Helen. She was active in the Sunflower 4H Club and had many entries in the county fair.

Thelma attended school in Bush City and Kincaid, graduating with honors from Garnett High School in 1945. She continued her education at Kansas City Business College and started her career as an executive secretary. Thelma furthered her education with classes at Rockhurst University and various seminars. She attended adult education classes into her eighties.

Thelma held positions at The Gas Service Company, Bendix, Gambles/Skogmo, culminating with 23 years at Hallmark Cards, Inc International division and retired as executive secretary to the President of Hallmark International and assistant to the British consul. She loved greeting the international executives and she was the “Go To” person for many years in the department. Her organizational and planning skills were exceptional. Thelma was a member of the Fellowship Chapter, ABWA and was Woman of the Year in 1982.

In Kansas City, she met her husband Harry E. Rock. They married in 1947 at Fairyland Park in a wedding sponsored by the American War Dads and witnessed by 5,000 guests. To this union, two children were born, Steven and Linda. Harry passed away in 1985. Thelma enjoyed a second chance at love when she married Judge Lewis Carson Smith in 1990 and moved to Leawood, KS. In Leawood she was an active member of the Leawood Garden Club, Women’s Club, Leawood Presbyterian Church and the Leawood Country Club. Thelma and Lew enjoyed twelve years together until his death in 2002. After Lew passed, Thelma moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma to be closer to her younger grandchildren.

In Bartlesville, she made many friends volunteering at Jane Phillips Medical Center (5000 hrs), Newcomers Club, and the Green Thumb Garden Society. Thelma was an active member of the Disciples Christian Church.

Thelma left Bartlesville in 2019 and moved to Overland Park, Kansas and then to Houston, Texas in 2021. She was a resident at the Shores at Clear Lake Village memory care where she was lovingly cared for.

Thelma is survived by her daughter Linda Strycker (Arden) and her daughter-in-law, Joyce Rock; grandchildren Sean Strycker, Kaitlyn Strycker (Jon Bjerke), Kristen Koneschik (Travis) and Jason Rock (Sarah); great grandchildren Meren and Griffin Koneschik; and sister Ruby Knauss, as well as many nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her son, Steven Edward Rock, and her husbands Harry Rock and Lewis Smith; two brothers, Lloyd and Lester Burris and one sister Helen Burcham.

Services for Thelma will be in at the Park Lawn Funeral Home, 8251 Hillcrest Rd, Kansas City, Missouri on March 18, 2026. Visitation will be at 1pm, service at 2pm followed by inurnment at Green Lawn Cemetery

Those who wish to remember Thelma in special way may make donations in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Bartlesville Oklahoma SPCA, in remembrance of her beloved pets, Shadow, Abbie and Lucy.