Obituary for Mary Thomas

Mary Ann (Bennett) Thomas

November 10, 1930 ~ June 8, 2020 (age 89)

Mary Ann Thomas, a long-time resident of Ponca City, passed away on June 8, 2020 after contracting an infection from a recent hip surgery. She was born at the start of the Great Depression, 11/10/30, and knew how to spend little and save much. Her mother, Geraldine McClurg was of Scottish decent which may have also contributed to Mary Ann’s sense of knowing how to be frugal. Mary Ann had four brothers; two have preceded her in death and the surviving two, Morris and Harold, hold fond memories from their time growing up in California.

Mary Ann married Bob Thomas in 1949 in California. They had four children, Suzanne, Terry, Allen and Karla. After the children started school, Mary Ann found employment in a variety of restaurants as a waitress or a cook and spent the last several years of her working years managing the food concession service at May Company (Macy’s). When Bob retired from the Orange County Register he wanted to return to Oklahoma (his birth place) and help take care of his mother. So in 1994, they left California and moved to Oklahoma. Their children were all grown with jobs and children of the own. When Bob passed away in 2009, Mary Ann’s children encourage her to move back to California; however, Mary Ann grew to love Oklahoma and wanted to stay. “She had friends she would miss too much, and she loved her garden”. Mary Ann was a member of the Woodland Community Church and a regular volunteer at Hospice in Ponca City.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, June 30th at 10:15 at the Rest Haven Cemetery in Ponca City. All her friends are welcome. The family requests that everyone stay safe by keeping social distance and wear masks during this time of the devastating pandemic.