Thelma Olivette Taylor Bedient

AUBURN – Thelma Olivette Taylor Bedient, 96, of Norway, died on Sunday, March 28, 2022, at Androscoggin Hospice House in Auburn.

Thelma was born May 18, 1925, in Washington DC to parents James and Thelma Taylor. After high school she graduated from Benjamin Franklin School for Secretaries in Washington DC and then worked for worked for the American Mining Congress in Washington where she met her husband Jerry J Ward. Together they had three children, Jerry Jr., Barbara, and Jeffrey. Jerry died in 1956 and after a few years Thelma married Jerry’s brother James Ward. Susan was born then sadly James died of cancer in 1961. For the next 17 years Thelma raised four children and was everything a devoted mother should be.

Thelma was a devout Presbyterian and her church family “helped” her get together with a church widower Harold “Art” Bedient. They married in 1978 and had many happy, wonderful years together until Art passed away in 2003. They had moved to Maine in 2000 where Art spent his remaining years in the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris. They both got a big chuckle from Thelma using her middle initial and she became Thelma O Bedient. Art had five grown children, Elizabeth, Robert, Bruce, Susan and Ann. Together with Thelma’s four, life was always busy and full with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There were many trips on the sailboat in the Chesapeake Bay or cross country trips in the motor home.

Thelma was predeceased by her husbands Jerry, Jim and Art; and stepson Bob Bedient. Also by her brother and sister-in-law. Jim and Lee Taylor of South Paris, Maine..

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Burial will be at Arlington, Va. All three of her husbands are buried there but she will be interred with Art Bedient.

The family would also like to express great appreciation to Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice.

To share memories and online condolences with the family please go to http://www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com. Arrangements are under the care of Oxford Hills Funeral Services, 1037 Main Street, Oxford.