January 10, 1928—January 7, 2013
Thelma died peacefully on January 7, 2013, three days shy of her 85th birthday. She was born in Seattle on January 10, 1928 to Rose and Louis Caplan. She attended Horace Mann Elementary and Garfield High School. Thelma graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in sociology in 1949, followed by a Master’s in social work in 1952. She was a social worker in New York City for over 30 years, ultimately working for the Association of Protestant Welfare Agencies doing field evaluations of their various programs. A lover of art and music, she served for several years as a docent at the Metropolitan Museum.
In 1996, Thelma returned to Seattle, where she was active in civic affairs and generously supported many organizations. She was a resident of the Summit at First Hill and the Kline Galland Home, and is survived by her sister, Gladys Caplan Fogel of Los Angeles, her nephews Barry Fogel, M.D., and Judge Jeremy Fogel, grandnieces and grandnephews, and many cousins and friends in the Seattle area. Remembrances to the UW School of Social Work.