Thelma Josephine Stout, 98, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Friday, June 27, 2025.

Thelma Jo Stout, 98, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, in her home with her daughter at her side.

Her husband, Robert Stout, and her son, David Linger, preceded her in death.

Her daughter, Wanda Whitmer, son Donald Linger, daughter Maria Linger, all of Huntsville, AL, survives her. Also many family members that lives in Australia and Scotland.

Jo was born in Brisbane, Australia, to parents who were entertainers in vaudeville, theatre and movies. After coming to the United States, in 1945, as a war bride, a divorce and re-marriage found her moving to Huntsville with her new husband joining Redstone Arsenal, as a mother of three. Her early experience enabled Jo to found a children's theatre, Fantasy Playhouse in 1962, with a few Huntsville Little Theatre (HLT) friends in forming a children's theater.

When she married again, Jo found herself moving to Flagstaff, AZ and started another children's theatre, Magic Curtin Productions (MCP). Her second love was horses. Having learned to ride in Australia, she went on to learn to break and train them along with her husband, Bob. As an artist, she venture into sculpting of wax to make southwest bronzes along with her husband, building a foundry and all of the equipment that was needed to pour the bronze.

Jo moved back to Huntsville to live with her daughter Wanda in 2021 and enjoyed many drives of scenery, theatre, movies, and watching TCM of many of her favorite movies and exploring new ones too. She loved John Wayne, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy to name a few and almost all musicals of the 40's, 50's and early 60's, especially with Judy Garland.

When asked what she liked about sculpting and the theatre "I love painting, but there is something missing of the all-around quality with sculpting. It seems to be an impulsion, the feeling of molding something. To see something come alive-and in theatre, to see a child mold into character."

Though she is no longer with us, her memory will forever live in the hearts of many who knew and loved her.

Berryhill Funeral Home is assisting the family.