Thelma Kent Bachand January 26, 1920 – December 26, 2018 Share this obituary Local Florists View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card With heartfelt sadness, we announce the passing of Thelma Kent Bachand, a loving and devoted mother of Jeannine Dalton (Jim), grandmother of Michelle Fisher (Heath), and Nicole Pattison (Bryce) and great grandmother of Colin, Mikayla, Jack and Grace. Thelma died peacefully in her home on December 26, 2018 exactly one month before her 99th birthday. She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, James Bachand.
Born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to Richard and Bertha Kent, Thelma was the youngest of five children reared in an Irish Catholic environment where they were strong in their faith and the traditions of their heritage. In Thelma’s senior year of high school, her father was transferred to Chico, California to engineer the construction of the Holly Sugar plant in Orland, California. So Thelma left her older brothers and sister behind who already had jobs in Nebraska and traveled with her mother to Chico.
There she enrolled at Chico High and quickly made friends with her smiling, energetic manner. She also met her future husband, Jim Bachand. After high school, they both applied for jobs.
Jim became a policeman and Thelma took her first of many State Civil Service tests to join the California State Department of Employment. They were married in 1941 but their lives were interrupted by World War II. Jim joined the Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations while Thelma did her part for the war effort by becoming a night time observer of flying aircraft over the Chico airport after work at her day job.
After the war, Jim returned to the Chico Police Department while Thelma rose in her position with the Department of Employment after having successfully passed the state exams. In her position, she spoke to high school and college classes educating them on employment opportunities in California as well as attending state conferences on employment. Thelma continued in her efforts to enhance employment opportunities for people during the next 42 years.
Helping people was always important to Thelma. She joined civic organizations volunteering her time to her community through these organizations. She also volunteered her time to her faith based organizations.
In addition, she became a Eucharistic minister and took communion to the patients at Enloe hospital in Chico. But, above all, helping her family was her top priority. She enjoyed assisting her daughter and her friends volunteering her time with school projects and recreational activities.
After retirement, she continued helping her family by traveling to Petaluma to visit her daughter and family and while there, she would bake goodies, advise on homework, and cheer at their games. Later, after moving to Petaluma with her husband, she treasured her time with her great grandchildren by attending holiday and birthday events as well as cheering them on at their various sporting events. Thelma epitomized a particularly strong generation, a group of men and women known as the Greatest Generation.
While strong in her beliefs and ideals, she was also kind and compassionate making friends everywhere she went with her welcoming smile and caring attitude. She always felt that it was more important to give than to receive. Her greatest joy was to bring happiness and love to her family and friends.
She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 11:00 a.m., St. James Catholic Church, 125 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy, Petaluma. Donations can be made to Hospice of Petaluma, 416 Payran Street, Petaluma, California 94952.
The family was served by Parent-Sorensen Mortuary & Crematory, Petaluma, CA.
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