Thelma Bates Stumph

Thelma Bates Stumph, 92, widow of Thomas A Stumph Sr., passed away Friday, January 23, at her home in Paris, Ky. surrounded by her family, after a short illness. Thelma was born on October 1, 1933, and was the daughter of the late Janie and Woodrow Bates Sr. Her early life included dairy, cattle and tobacco farming in North Middletown, Little Rock, and Clintonville, Ky. She moved to Paris in 1963, and worked at Irving Air Chute, International Spike, and retired from Bluegrass Army Depot at Avon. Thelma was a long-time member at Shady Dell Primitive Baptist Church until its dissolution in 2018. Thelma found membership at the Paris Church of Christ, where she thought of those who attended there like extended family, finding joy and happiness.
Thelma is survived by one sister, Irene Davis of Paris, one daughter, Janie (Larry) Martin of Paris, one son, Thomas (Sherri) Stumph Jr. of Nicholasville, Two granddaughters, Michelle (Ryan) Rawls of Ozark, Missouri, and Sarah (Emiliano) Quisehuatl of Lexington. As well as two beloved great-granddaughters, Ellie and Isabella Quisehuatl and her cat, Lucy.
Along with her husband, Thomas, and her parents, Thelma was preceded in death by two sisters, Betty Heflin and Beulah Bates, and two brothers, John Bates and Woodrow “June” Bates Jr.
Thelma was very active. She kept a full garden and mowed her own lawn until this past summer. Her favorite past-time was being with her family, doing just about anything. She loved thrift shopping and any yard sale she could find. She was an avid reader, loving murder mystery and other fiction, but above all loved reading God’s word in the Bible. She also loved word and number puzzles. She never missed an opportunity to take short trips, as long as she had her coffee and her purse.
Pallbearers are Clayton Chamberlain, Billy Davis, Issac Jordan, Ronnie Logsdon, Dougie McIlvain, Ryan Rawls, and Emiliano Quisehuatl. Honorary Pall bearers are Mike Collier, Russell Rogers, and the adult Sunday School class at Paris Church of Christ.
Visitation will be Friday, January 30, 2026, at Lusk McFarland Funeral Home Chapel, 1120 Main St., Paris, from 5 pm to 8 pm. Funeral service will be held at the Lusk-McFarland Funeral Home Chapel, on Saturday January 31, 2026, at 11:00 AM with Clay Leonard presiding. Burial to follow at Paris Cemetery.
The family would like to extend a very heartfelt thanks to Dr. Scott Pierce of CHI St. Joseph Health, as well as Tayonna, Carol, Shauna and Brent of Bluegrass Care Navigators. Memorials may take the form of contributions to the Bluegrass Care Navigators or to the Paris Church of Christ Food Pantry.
The funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Lusk-McFarland Funeral Home Chapel, 1120 Main Street, Paris, KY. The online guestbook is at www.Lusk-McFarland.com and a 24-hour funeral information line can be reached by calling 859-987-4387.