WILMINGTON — Thelma Sledge Kieckhaefer, 104, of Wilmington, passed away June 23, 2025 at Bradley Creek Health Center at Carolina Bay. She was just awakening that morning and had her niece, Cathy King, with her.
Thelma was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi to Thelma Pigford and Reuben Lindsay Sledge. She grew up with a large extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. She graduated from the Mississippi State College for Women with a BS in Secretarial Sciences. During World War II, Thelma worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Thelma met and married Robert Victor Kieckhaefer (Bob) through her sister Anna’s husband, Frederick Stinson. Robert was an Army Air Corps pilot and officer. Together they embarked on the adventures of a military family with lots of travels and stories to share. After Thelma’s kids were grown and off to college, Thelma enjoyed a second career as an executive secretary at Unisys.
Thelma and Bob had three children: Mary Ann, William and Lillian. Thelma loved them dearly and was thrilled to become a grandmother and then a great grandmother. After Thelma retired, she moved to Wilmington to be close to her older sister, Anna. They both resided first at the Brightmore Retirement Community where they both enjoyed many friends and activities. Thelma and her sister Anna were both avid bridge players. Later, Anna moved to Bradley Creek for assisted living and then Thelma moved there too.
