Thelma H. Litton

Born July 20, 1911, in Panama City, Panama, Thelma H. Lasso Valdes was the first of 10 children born to her parents. Her maternal grandfather was Ramon Valdes, who served as president of Panama from Oct. 1, 1916, until his early death on June 3, 1918.  Upon completion of school, she became a teacher. Thelma was introduced by friends of her parents to an American soldier who wished to improve his Spanish. On Feb. 2, 1937, Thelma Lasso was married to Sgt. Arthur Litton of Fredericktown, Pa. They had a daughter, Sonia, in 1939 and a son, Allen, two years later on her 30th birthday.  Her husband served in WWII and although he started off in the Army, he also served in the Air Corp and for the majority of his career, served in the newly formed Air Force. The family relocated often, even spending some time in the Philippines (1947) and Okinawa (1948), until about 1955 when they settled in Maryland. Arthur retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1957 and is buried in Arlington Cemetery. Both children graduated from High Point High in Beltsville and attended the University of Maryland. Their daughter, wanting to be a nurse, attended a year of school in Pennsylvania before going to the University of Maryland when Arthur started having health problems and they wanted the children close. Their son was a Maryland State Trooper for a time and served in the Marine Corp as a reservist. She and her husband moved several times but always stayed in Maryland until their final home together in Hagerstown. After her husband passed away in 1974, she went to live with her daughter’s family in Hyattsville. Thelma is survived by her son, who was by her side when she passed, nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren, six siblings still living, and numerous nieces and nephews scattered between here and Panama. She has a grandson who served in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan and is retired from the Army, and has a great-grandson who has joined the Army. She loved nothing better than to talk, telling old family stories, or “history,” and looking at old photos. She was very close to her family and loved to see everyone when we got together, especially the youngest children.   She is preceded in death by her daughter, Sonia Goebel, who passed away 11/29/2014.