By Marcia and Roger Eaton, grandson*
*Relation to Andy and/or Flora Lehr
The oldest of four, Andy Lehr had two brothers and a sister. Francis, or Bay, was three years younger than Andy. Then came Leo six years behind Andy. Thelma was eight years younger than Andy. They all grew up in Augusta and Derby, Kansas. They experienced some insufferable hardships and yet all enjoyed rich fulfilled lives.
All three men dedicated their professional lives to the oil business. Andy and Leo spent their careers at Skelly Refinery in El Dorado, Kansas while Bay’s career took him to Texas Company Refinery in Claflin, Kansas. In her time, women were a rare sight in the workforce. Thelma carved out a rewarding career at Steffan’s Dairy in Wichita, Kansas.
Andy had the longest lifespan of the four at 69 years. Each of them had longer lifespans than their parents.
Andy 69
Thelma 66
Leo 62
Bay 47
Andy Lehr’s parents, Andrew and Katie Lehr were ages 46 and 43 when pneumonia gripped the entire family. Andrew and his daughter Thelma were too sick to attend Katie’s funeral services. Andrew was gone four days after Katie and Thelma wasn’t expected to survive. She and her brothers recovered. A year earlier, Andy suffered a punctured lung in a harrow (farm implement) accident. He was fortunate to survive a bout of pneumonia. Leo tackled another bout with pneumonia as a teenager.
As orphans, the family was separated among relatives. The boys went to Elizabeth (Miers) Hoffman “Aunt Lizzie”. They were a welcome addition to her household and provided immeasurable assistance on her farm. Thelma joined her Aunt Ada (Hughes) Chase. Ada was Thelma’s mother’s sister.
Thelma, Ethel (Bay’s wife), Bay, Leo, Frank last name unknown. Photo from the collection of Betty Lehr.
Thelma’s Aunt Ada (Hughes) Chase welcomed Thelma to her family after the unexpected demise of Thelma’s parents. Her Aunt Ada cared for many relatives. According to the 1910 Census, Ada hosted a houseful.
William Chase, husband, 35 years old
Ada (Hughes) Chase, 38 years old
Severy Chase, son, 8 years old
Catherine (Welsh) Hughes, mother, 74 years old
Patrick Hughes, Father, 75 years old
James Hughes, brother, 34 years old
Viola (Kirby) Hughes, 22 years old
Mary Hughes, niece, newborn
Thelma, niece, 7 years old
Ada’s generosity was a positive influence on Thelma. She seemed to have been a caring young girl. A few months after her parents died, she saved 25 pennies to help a sick playmate who had lockjaw. She collected donations to add to her contribution. The total amount she raised of $3.50 would be equivalent to $115 in the year 2024. That is impressive for a seven-year-old orphan.
At age 15 she participated in a neighborhood patriotic play and donated the proceeds to the Red Cross. They charged a five-cent entry fee. The audience we slightly more generous. The play generated $4.50. That is equivalent to $93 in the year 2024. Thelma played the part of the Goddess of Liberty.
No school records were located, however she completed three years of high school.
She married Ray Hook, when she was 23. Their two children were:
Ivan Henry Hook 1928 -1940
Erma Jean (Hook) Evans 1931 – 2005
The same illness, pneumonia that claimed her parent’s lives, took her son, Ivan at age 11. He passed on February 11, 1940. Erma had 2 grandchildren. One of Thelma’s step grandsons remember that when she joined the family, they called her “The new Granny”.
Sometime before 1940, Thelma and Ray divorced. She is listed on the 1940 census as living with her Aunt Ada. The 693 square foot house included two bedrooms and one bathroom.
Her Aunt Ada encouraged her to visit her brothers and remain in contact with them. Andy wrote Thelma a letter when he was in Camp Funston, completing Army Basic Training for World War I. She would visit her brothers often.
Thelma may have worked with the Chase family poultry business. In 1940 she was a wrapper for Steffens and then in 1950 she was an ice cream packer. She worked for over 28 years at Steffens Dairy in Wichita in subzero (-40 F) temperatures creating masterpieces of ice cream cakes. Many ice cream cakes were made for weddings. Templates were used for the many unique requests. This was the only ice cream specialty cake shop like this in Wichita. She was listed as a Decoration Specialist in the Wichita City Directory.
