Thelma Baird Raleigh

Thelma Jean Raleigh, age 91, of Strunk, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Funeral services were held Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 1:00 pm at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home with Bro. Steven Yaden and Bro. Roger Miller officiating. Burial followed in the Osborne Creek Cemetery.

She was born on June 1, 1934, in Elk Valley, Tennessee, to the late Jesse Michael Davis and Ethel Jeffers Davis. Thelma lived a life rooted in faith, family, and quiet creativity. She was a devoted member of Mt. Zion Church in Corbin, Kentucky, where she found great joy in worship, fellowship, and music. Singing in church and playing the keyboard were among her favorite expressions of faith.

Thelma had a gentle and patient spirit, reflected in the many hours she spent quilting and sewing—crafts that allowed her to create warmth and beauty for those she loved. She found comfort in simple pleasures and was happiest when surrounded by family or engaged in her church community.

In addition to her parents, Thelma was preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence Douglas; her second husband, Kan Baird; and her third husband, Kenneth Raleigh. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Everette Davis and Maxwell Davis; her sisters, Ollie Bunch and Glenna Perkins; and her stepson, Doyle Douglas.

She is survived by her stepchildren, Howard Gene Douglas, Alice Sue Baird, Anna Lou Gibson, Brian Raleigh, and Therersa Ceesay; her brother, Paul Davis; her sister, Betty Warfield; as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will cherish her memory.

Thelma will be remembered for her steadfast faith, her love of music, and the quiet kindness she shared through her hands and her heart. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched and the family she leaves behind.

Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home was honored to serve the family of Thelma Raleigh.