Mary L. Thomas

Mary Louise Thomas was born in Birmingham Alabama on May 6, 1923. She arrived here in Detroit, MI travelling alone when she was 7 years old. While settling in at her new home in Black Bottom Mary was an honor student and loved school. Playing sports, especially baseball and field hockey, was something she enjoyed doing on a regular basis. Her love for Christ started early and she joined Historic New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in 1939 located on Chene and Mack in Detroit.

Mary attended Sunday School and taught Sunday School for over 75 years. She enjoyed serving the Lord worked by joining several ministries: Senior Choir, Just Right Club, Ever Ready Club, Nurses Guild (Gray Ladies) Sunday School, Trustee Wives, Deaconess Board, Department of Missions, Women’s Choir, Voices of Zion, Prayer Ministry, and the Mothers Board. While singing in the choir as a young adult others discovered she had an amazing 1st Soprano voice and lead many solos, some of her favorite songs are ‘’ The Rivers of Babylon”, “Somethings Bound to Happen When you Pray”, and “Oh Holy Night” and “Let Mt. Zion Rejoice”.

Mary graduated from Miller High School in Detroit and attended Mary Grove & Mercy College in Detroit pursuing degrees in Nursing, and successfully worked in the nursing field for over 60 years her passion for nursing led her to work in specific areas at several medical facilities including Henry Ford Hospital, Florence Crittenton Hospital, Grace Hospital, Veterans Memorial Hospital, 14th Street Clinic, Cranbrook Assisted Living, and Manor Care Inc. Mary retired from nursing in 2010.

Mary met Bartow Thomas Sr. of Columbus, Georgia while playing ball in the neighborhood, he also attended Historic New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church they were married over 48 years. To this union 6 children were born Delores, Elenore Marie, Frances Mae, Margaret Louise, Janet, and Bartow Jr. As a busy wife and mother Mary was active in the community participating in the following various roles; she was the first Black Girl Scout Troop Leader at Mac Dowell Elementary School, Mendota 8 Bock Club, Avon representative, Eta Phi Beta Sorority, NAACP, and the Urban League. She became a Southfield resident in 1991 and became an elector official working in the precinct as an elector official. She loved gardening and had a reputation for having a green thumb especially when she cooked and made greens, succotash, and fried green tomatoes. Being an excellent cook Mary loved making food for her family, her recipes for double crust peach cobbler, turkey and cornbread dressing, neck bone soup and oxtails beans and rice were favorites of her family and friends. While watching her favorite sports teams she knew the scores and the teams better than Stephen A. Smith of ESPN. Going to see the Pistons, or the Lions, everyone around her enjoyed her enthusiasm for the teams. Mary had a beautiful smile and people remember her for this and her sweet personality. Mary Louise Thomas leaves to cherish her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and a host of relatives, and friends.

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