Thelma Beffa Kersh, 97, formerly of Festus, died March 12, 2023, at Country Meadows in Park Hills. Mrs. Kersh was a lead bus driver for the Festus R-6 school district, and a member of Our Lady Church in Festus and Immaculate Conception Church in Park Hills. Born Feb. 23, 1926, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of the late Emma (Haffner) and Luther Elmer Cain. She was preceded in death by two husbands: Joseph T. Beffa, and Edwin Baylor Kersh.
She is survived by eight children: Augustus “Gus” (Toni) Beffa of Festus, Jo Ann (Kenneth) Cleair of Arcadia, Jay (Darlene) Beffa of Festus, Daniel (Donna) Beffa of Festus, Linda (Ron) Barks of Bloomsdale, Michael G. (Christine) Beffa of Festus, Geno (Ruth) Beffa of Festus and Tina Weatherford Connell of Acworth, Ga.; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son: Joseph D. (Virginia survives of Festus) Beffa; four sisters: Florence Henneman, Evelyn Robinson, Pearl Cordes and Betty Lou Powers; a brother: Frank Cain; and a grandson: Michael Jacob Beffa.
Visitation is scheduled from 11 a.m. until a funeral service at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at Vinyard Funeral Home, 616 W. Main, in Festus. Burial is in Rosewood Memorial Park in Humble, Texas. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, to the American Heart Association or to the National Down Syndrome Society. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.