Thalia Welborn Eddleman

Thalia Welborn Eddleman passed away peacefully at her home February 27, 2025. She was born in Oklahoma City on April 2, 1932, to Connie Hays and Frank Pierce Welborn. She attended Hawthorn Grade School where she made many lifelong friends. She then went to Taft Junior High and graduated from Central High School in 1950. While in high school, she was active in the Student Council, Red Skirts Pep Club, Pan American Club, and several other organizations. She attended OU and joined Gamma Phi Beta Sorority during her freshman year. Her sophomore year was spent at Barnard College Columbia University where she and her mother lived with her aunt and uncle after her father died. In the winter, she enjoyed working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art near her home and during the summer she enjoyed giving tours of Rockefeller Center in her Okie accent.

Thalia returned to Oklahoma and graduated from OU with a degree in geology in 1954. She began her career as a geologist with Parker Petroleum in Ponca City. While there, she met a fellow geologist, Morgan Wm “Bud” Eddleman and they married in 1958. She later worked for Eason Oil in Oklahoma City, and then Boone Pickens Oil in Amarillo, TX. During a downturn in the oil industry in Amarillo, she became a Professional Girl Scout, having been a Junior Girl Scout Troop Leader for several years and took senior girls on weeklong camping trips. She also helped a travel agent friend organize two-week trips to Hawaii, Alaska and Europe for groups of adults.

In 1965, they returned to Oklahoma City where she helped her husband establish their own oil company. After the birth of their daughter, Laura Anne, Thalia stayed home and became involved with Casady School’s Parents’ Club and Laura Anne’s sports and academic activities. Thalia continued to be involved with the Gamma Phi Alum group, Geologist Wives Club, the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, as well as served on the Board of the Oklahoma Historical Society for 15 years. She became politically involved in three republican campaigns. She enjoyed ballroom dancing and volunteering as a docent at the Oklahoma Art Center with her friends. For many years, she always looked forward to the conversations and laughter at her Tuesday morning breakfast club and hamburger club. Her latest activity during the pandemic was a foursome, Peter Gill, Bill Tunell, Jo Stansbury, and Thalia, who met every Sunday to eat sandwiches and play the “Trivia” game - all over 87 years old trying to remember information – very funny!

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bud, her brother, Frank P. Welborn Jr. and his wife, Laverne, and her yellow cat, Mr. Harris. She is survived by her daughter, Laura Anne Eddleman Doll (Steve), and their three children, Zoe Morgan Doll, Zachary Joseph Doll, and Camden George Doll, all of Hermosa Beach, CA; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, to include Tava J. Slocum; Frank P. Welborn III (Sharon), Jason Schulz (Taylor), and Kelsey Schulz.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 10:30 am at Christ the King Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.