Thelma Knowles Dybalski

years of age. Mrs. Dybalski died of complications from Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). She spent 62 years with her loving husband, Edward Dybalski. Together they begot three children: Cynthia ( deceased), Darrell, and Kevin Dybalski.

Mrs. Dybalski leaves in her wake her nuclear family: Husband Edward Anthony Dybalski, Sons, Darrell Edward Dybalski, and Kevin Anthony Dybalski.

In her extended family, she leaves her grandchildren: Brittany Nassau, Chelsea Nassau Stefanelli, Madison Nassau McAdory, Allison Dybalski Hronek, Kade Stephen Dybalski, Kolby Walker Dybalski, Todd Cogan, Aiden Peacock, Edward Joseph Dybalski, and Sarah Ann Dybalski. She also leaves her great-grandchildren: Beau Ryan Stefanelli, Harper Ellen Stefanelli, Emsley Amira Fisher, Elowan Astra Rodriguez, Aubrey Cynthia Jenner, Stella Avery McAdory, and Saige Alora McAdory.

Thelma was the 9th of 11 children born to Thomas Dennis Knowles and Myrtis Davis Knowles. Born in Offerman, Georgia, Thelma was welcomed into the world on December 31, 1936 at 11:58pm. She grew up on a working farm and was subject to hard work and responsibility very early in life. Thelma's regular chores included rising daily before dawn, using a stool to reach the countertop, and working to bake her family biscuits from scratch at the age of 6! Some of her other household duties as a child included: washing the family’s clothes by hand outside in a gator tub, tending livestock, and sowing and harvesting crops in the fields storing, pickling and canning food for the winter. Thelma thrived in the face of adversity and the very hard work she had to do on the farm, made her spirit strong and formed her lifelong ethic of hard work .

In June of 1956, Thelma graduated high school from Patterson High School in Patterson, Georgia. After which, she took a job at the Southern Bell Telephone Company in Waycross, Georgia. She excelled quickly at Southern Bell and was transferred to a Southern Bell office in Jacksonville, Florida in 1957. It was in Jacksonville that she met the love of her life, Edward Anthony Dybalski, a Kokomo, Indiana native while he was stationed at NAS Jacksonville with the United States Navy. Ed and Thelma were Married September 5, 1959. This was a classic "Southern Bell meets Northern Yankee" love story that stood the test of time.

While employed at Southern Bell Telephone Company, Thelma raised her three children and earned her Real Estate Brokers license, and worked progressively with Bossen Reality, Stockton Whatley Davin, Coldwell Banker and Watson Realty Real Estate companies enjoying "Million Dollar Sales Club" status when that meant something. While working in Real Estate sales she invested wisely in Real Estate buying investment properties. She worked diligently on those properties spending her nights and weekends, her family alongside, remodeling, cleaning, buying, selling, and leasing homes. Thelma’s work ethic, built on the family farm, shined through as she worked tirelessly on tasks such as: demolition, heavy lifting, painting, laying flooring. She designed and built several custom homes and moved homes to new locations all while working a full time job and never missing a beat with loving and caring and providing for her family.

After leaving Real Estate Sales, Thelma earned her Mortgage Brokers License and took a position with Southeast Financial Mortgage where she spent 10 years as a Mortgage Broker. She was known by her Peers as a stable, tireless, and a faithful employee. She worked as a Mortgage broker with Southeast until she was 73 years old. She worked with her son Darrell on investment properties for 4 years after Southeast Financial.

Thelma enjoyed St. John's, Florida waterfront living since the 1970's. She bought, sold and built several homes on Julington Creek during her time there. She had a green thumb and spent time gardening and became a Staghorn Fern Expert, growing a beautiful Staghorn Fern collection that still exist today.

One notable talent she had was her "cook from scratch" Southern style meals. Some meals took days to prepare. Those familiar with her dishes would wait patiently for hours in anticipation of a plate. Everyone who tasted her food labeled her as an exceptional Southern Style Chef. Her cooking fame reached from Northern Florida and into Southern Georgia. Whether it was just for her and her husband or for over 200 people on a Thanksgiving Day, Thelma always pulled off a kitchen miracle.

Thelma enjoyed traveling with her Husband, Ed. The two traveled extensively as his career made available several dozen Wonderful trips even as far as Europe.

Thelma’s favorite holiday memories stemmed from having her whole family together in Offerman, Georgia at her childhood farm home, named the Homeplace. Her favorite gathering time at the Homeplace was Thanksgiving with her sister, Louise Perkins of Labelle, Florida. They cooked 3 meals a day, served great food, visited and took breaks to sit by the Big Fire in the field where there was alway a story to tell or hear and a warm fire to enjoy with family. Thelma and Louise slept on cots in the kitchen by the warm oven, conversing at bedtime like little girls still fascinated with life. Their family still seeks to embody the same youthful fascination with life that they witnessed these women display while in their childhood home.

Thelma was an Ambitious Brilliant woman, but behind every part of that drive was her love for others. Whether they were family or they had just met. If you came under Thelma's Protective Umbrella, she would hold back no part of herself to defend, promote, sustain, provide for and heal you. She demonstrated the Love of God in every aspect of her life and never ceased to give time, energy, and affection to those around her, whether you were family on not. Thelma was an excellent, patient listener.

To adequately describe this wonderful woman, one would need a 1000 page book to even begin to record the miracles, signs, and wonders that happened along her life’s journey. However, due to limited space, it can be simply summed up in two sentences:

Thelma lived out the life of the Proverbs 31 “Virtuous Woman” exactly as it was written

Thelma Christine Knowles Dybalski was one of the greatest women to ever live!