Thelma Ann Black

Thelma Ann (Hoover Harper) Black of Columbus, Montana passed away on January 24, 2026 at age 90. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who will be remembered for her gentleness and love.

Thelma was born June 24,1935 in Malta, Montana to Paul Luther Hoover and Myrtle Maude (DeFlyer) Hoover. She grew up on the family ranch along the Stillwater River with her siblings Clara, Shirley, and Jim. Thelma attended school in Absarokee, Montana and worked in a diner where she met her husband, Lloyd Harper. Together, they had one son, Robert Harper, and moved to Casper, Wyoming. Later, Thelma married George Black and traveled with him on his trucking routes before settling for some time in Soldotna, Alaska. A Montana girl at heart, Thelma eventually returned home. Thelma worked for much of her life as a waitress and later as a caregiver at an assisted living center.

Thelma loved music, especially listening to her family play the guitar, and enjoyed spending time outdoors fishing and hunting arrowheads. She inherited her mother’s love of reading and kept her mind sharp by working daily crossword puzzles. She watched game shows and bull riding and cheered wildly for both the Chiefs and the Broncos. Thelma’s son, Bob, introduced her to Jesus and Thelma became a faithful member of Columbus Community Congregational Church. She also enjoyed playing cards and eating lunch with friends at the Columbus Senior Center. Throughout her life, Thelma welcomed friends and family into her home, always providing hospitality to those in need of extra kindness.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, and both husbands. She left behind her son, daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, six great-grandchildren, as well as her best friend and sister-in-law, Mary Lou Hoover, and beloved nieces and nephews.

See you later, Alligator.