Thelma Lee Ellis Sweat

Funeral services for Thelma Lee Ellis Sweat, age 94 of Ardmore, OK were held on Friday, June 27, 2025 at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Tupelo. Interment was at Pleasant Grove Cemetery.

Thelma passed away peacefully on June 24, 2025, at Kingston Family Care. She was born on November 29, 1930, in the Eubanks community near Tupelo, Oklahoma, to Pat and Vera Ellis.

A 1949 graduate of Tupelo High School, Thelma was known for her intelligence, strength, and compassionate spirit. In her youth, she was an avid basketball player and remained a passionate supporter of the game throughout her life. She began her working career at Pentgraff’s Café in Ada, Oklahoma, and went on to hold various positions at Montgomery Ward, Walls, Kentucky Fried Chicken, First National Bank, and served Coal County as a dispatcher and jailer, retiring after 17 years of dedicated service.

She was married to Bernard Fowler in 1950 and later to Hugh “Bud” Sweat, both of whom preceded her in death. A woman of deep faith and civic engagement, Thelma was a longtime member of Tupelo Baptist Church and a former president of the Coal County Democratic Party. Her life was marked by kindness, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to her family and community. She will be fondly remembered for her loving heart, bright smile, and servant’s spirit.

She is survived by her daughter, Patti Lee (Thurman) Rail; granddaughter, Chelsea Lee and her husband CJ Burks; and great-grandson, Casher Gray Burks, all of Ardmore.