Thelma A. Briden, 97, of Elizabeth E. Martin Health Center of Western Home Communities, Cedar Falls, died Thursday, Jan. 8, at Allen Memorial Hospital of natural causes.

She was born May 27, 1911, in Greenridge, Mo., daughter of Charles and Anna Cox Moore. She married Maurice Young on Sept. 7, 1935, in Newton. He died March 17, 1975. She married Lloyd Briden in 1985, in San Diego. He died Dec. 8, 2000.

She graduated from Grundy Center High School and was a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell for 10 years, retiring in 1952. She was a member of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, Walnut Ridge Golden Walnuts Senior Group from 1975 to 1985, and the Western Home Chime Choir.

Survived by: a son, David (Donna) Young of Bloomington, Minn.; two stepsons, David (Gerry) Briden of Toledo, Ohio, and Frank (Gretchen) Briden of Wake Forest, N.C.; two grandchildren; four step grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and four stepgreat-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by: her parents; her husbands; four brothers, Charles, Denny, Harry and Jim Moore; and two sisters, Pearl Jacobs and Bernice Moore.