`Thelma Jane Dean Salyer
February 4, 1934 – June 16, 2026

Thelma Jane Dean Salyer was called home to her Heavenly Father on June 16, 2026, after 92 beautiful years of grace-filled living. Born February 4, 1934, Thelma was a woman whose faith was the quiet, steady heartbeat behind everything she did — a light that never dimmed, even on the hardest days.
For 72 years, she walked hand in hand with the love of her life, Joe Belle Salyer. Their marriage was a testament to the kind of love that endures — rooted in faith, nurtured through seasons of joy and struggle, and deepened with every passing year. Together they built not just a home, but a legacy.
That legacy lives on in her eight beloved children: Joe Belle (Nancy) Salyer, Jr. , Rebecca (the late Terry) Powers, Tanya (Eric) McCrite, Randy (the late Donna) Salyer, Tim (Lisa) Salyer, Jane (Landon) Hunsucker, Anthony Salyer, and Angela (Tim) Cox. Thelma poured herself into each of them, and her love rippled outward through 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren — a family tree rooted in her faith and watered by her prayers.
She is also survived by her siblings, Betty (Don) Stewart and Jim Dean, as well as several nieces and a nephew, who shared in a lifetime of cherished memories.
Thelma actively and compassionately served as a member of The Church of the Good Shepherd, The Rebeccas, The Wise Garden Club, The Wise Senior Center, J.J. Kelly Band Booster Club, and The Red Hat Society. She was well known for her love of cooking and baking and her food donations throughout the Wise community.
Honoring her wishes, cremation has taken place. A private memorial service to celebrate Thelma’s life will be held later.
Thelma lived by the truth that love is the greatest calling of all, and she answered it every single day. Those who knew her carry pieces of her spirit within them — her warmth, her wisdom, and her unwavering belief that God’s goodness endures forever.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
— Psalms 23:6