Mary Ann Thomas was born March 8, 1925 to Chester and Maud (Britt) Abrams in Cleveland, Oklahoma. She passed on September 8, 2026 at the age of 101 years and six months. She was welcomed into the world by her sister Lonnis and brother Harvey. For her first ten years the family lived in Cleveland where her Father worked for the city. When Mary Ann was about ten the family moved seven miles out of town to the city lake where her Father managed the drinking water system for Cleveland. She and her siblings had many adventures while living out there. Mary Ann attended Cleveland schools graduating in 1943. She was involved in many school activities. Most notably in her senior year she was editor of the school yearbook, the school newspaper and, just like her sister a few years before, she was valedictorian of her class. She enrolled at Oklahoma A&M in the fall of 1943 and attended through the spring of 1944 before returning to Cleveland where she worked as a secretary for a local oil company. She returned to college in 1946 and met her future husband, Ralph Thomas. Like many students, Ralph was attending college on the GI Bill after service in the Pacific during the war. Ralph passed Mary Ann’s muster because, just like her brother Harvey, he was a Marine. They were married on July 20, 1947. They had two sons; Robert, born in 1949 and Jack, born in 1952. Mary Ann graduated with her business degree in 1948. In 1950 they moved to Aline, Oklahoma where Ralph was the high school’s first vocational agriculture instructor. Mary Ann took classes at Northwestern (Alva, OK) and Phillips University (Enid, OK) to obtain her teaching certificate. She taught business classes at Aline High School for several years and helped in the publishing of the school’s first year book. In 1963 Ralph began teaching VoAg in Woodward, OK. Mary Ann became the bookkeeper for Woodward Livestock Auction Market and stayed there until it was sold. She then went to work for Production Credit Association and remained there until her retirement in 1991. Ralph and Mary Ann were season ticket holders for Oklahoma State University football and basketball and attended all home games. After Ralph’s passing Mary Ann continued to drive the 150 miles to Stillwater, often accompanied by brother-in-law Virgil. In the summer of 1969 Ralph and Mary Ann purchased a small farm 10 miles northeast of Woodward. Even after Ralph’s passing in 1989, Mary Ann continued to live on the farm until health (and family!) forced her to move to town in 2018. In 2022 Mary Ann moved to Las Cruces, NM to live with Jack and Cathy. In 2025 Mary Ann moved to the Heritage Assisted Living Center where she received excellent care until her passing.

Mary Ann was a devout Christian. She was baptized into the Methodist Church in Cleveland and remained a member there until she joined the First Christian Church in Woodward. She was an active member of her Sunday school class, attended most church events and participated in the church quilters. When it became difficult for her to drive, great nephews Tell and Teton Dixon made sure she made it to church. Upon moving to Las Cruces she was adopted by the University United Methodist Church care team.

After retirement, in addition to her church activities, Mary Ann volunteered at the Woodward Hospital and at Northwest Behavioral Health. In 2010 she was selected as the Northwest Oklahoma mental health volunteer of the year.

She was the last surviving member of her generation of both the Abrams and Thomas families. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her son Robert and his wife Faith, granddaughter-in-law Arlene, her parents, her sister and brother, her in-laws (Cyrus and Ellen) all her sisters-in-law (Ila, Roberta, Carol) and brothers-in-law (Oscar, Dean, Virgil, Jack) niece (Jean Ann), nephews (Larry, Darrell and Richard). She is survived by her son Jack and wife Cathy, grandchildren Angela, Mike (Judi), Kelli (Dan), John, Andrew (Allison) and great grandchildren (Luke, Alicia, Jack, Clara, Amanda) and numerous much-loved nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Patti and Dennis Hunter, Kevin, Stefanie, Tell and Teton Dixon and Lori and Steve Irwin for being there whenever needed and all the good people in Woodward who checked on her. Also, special thanks to her wonderful caregivers at The Heritage Assisted Living Center.

A memorial service will be held at University United Methodist Church, 2000 S. Locust Street in Las Cruces, NM at 11:00 am on Monday, September 21, 2026. Service in Woodward and Aline Oklahoma will be held at a later date.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels of Las Cruces and Sunset Crematory, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for “Veterans and Family Memorial Care.” For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com