Thelma Runnerstrom

Thelma Lillian Runnerstrom (née Mathews) of Woodridge, Illinois formerly of Elizabeth, PA passed away at age 93 on February 16, 2019. She had been residing at the Brookdale -Lisle Nursing Home in Lisle, IL for the past several years. She was born to the late Curtis Mathews and Louis (Taylor) Brown-Mathews on April 19, 1925 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania.

Thelma attended the Victory school in Elizabeth Township Pennsylvania after which she married Arthur D. Matthews and became a homemaker. She loved to cook and made her home the place to be for Christmas cookies during the Holidays. Her other passions were singing and fashion. She attended the AME Methodist church in Elizabeth, PA where she sang in the choir. She loved to listen to Religious choral music her entire life. When the family moved to Waukegan, IL in 1964 she decided to enter the workforce becoming a women’s wear fashion saleslady, first at Foyer’s in Waukegan and finally at the Marshall Fields flagship store in downtown Chicago.

She always had a great love for her extended family. She was one of 13 children and always looked forward to the family reunions.

Later in life she took up ceramics and prided herself in what she could make, often giving her work as gifts to her friends.

She is survived by her two sons Arthur Matthews of Matteson, IL and Kenneth Matthews of Glenmoore, Pennsylvania and her two grandchildren, Kenneth Arthur Matthews of Chicago, Illinois and Kiana Matthews of Sacramento, California in addition to three sisters, Viola Grinage of Palm Harbor, Florida, Ruth Saunders of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania and Winona Womack of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Arthur Dean Matthews and husband William Runnerstrom and her daughter Thelma Louise, and additionally 9 siblings, Edward Brown, Vernon Brown, Glen Brown, Theodore Brown, Lloyd Mathews, Curtis Mathews, Loise Mathews, Wallace Mathews, Paul Mathews.

Friends will be received Thursday February 21, 2019, at Blake Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Ave, Lisle, IL 60532. Viewing will be 9 am and services at 10 am.

For service information, please call Blake-Lamb Funeral Home at 630-964-9392.