Mary Ann Thomas, July 26, 1921-July 25, 2010

Mary Ann (Manley) Thomas, 88, of Milan died Sunday, July 25, 2010.

Mary Ann was born July 26, 1921, in Dayton, Ohio, daughter of the late Harry Russell and Myra (Roehm) Manley. She graduated from Steele High School in 1939, and then attended Dickenson Secretarial School. She worked as an executive secretary at the Inland Division of General Motors for about 10 years.

In 1951, Mary Ann married Richard J. (Dick) Thomas, now deceased, at Grace Methodist Church in Dayton where they were both active members. In 1959, they welcomed baby daughter Amy Suzanne into their lives.

Mary Ann and Dick moved from Dayton to Lima in 1967 where she was very active as a Brownie Troupe leader and involved in the Women's Circle at Shawnee United Methodist Church.

In 1975 the family moved to Milan where Mary Ann became a very active leader in the Milan Garden Club. She served as president for several years as well as recording secretary and publicity chair. During her tenure as president, she inspired the club to find a way to honor Thomas Edison's mother Nancy as a teacher; the sculpture of Young Tom and his Mother which now stands on the Milan Village Square was born. She also founded Christmas Tree Lane and ran it for many years. Eventually she moved up to serve as Mansfield District Director of Garden Clubs of Ohio (GCO) for two years, and she served as Corresponding Secretary and Historian for GCO for more than 10 years, as well. In her role as historian, she compiled a book of the 66 year history of Garden Club of Ohio. Mary Ann also chaired the Garden Club State convention at Sawmill Creek in 1989.

Mary Ann loved her home and prided herself in taking care of her family and entertaining friends. She loved tennis and was an avid player in her youth. After golf brought her and her husband Dick together, they enjoyed playing together at Plum Brook Country Club. They also enjoyed working together on projects for Edison Memorial United Methodist Church where she was also active in the craft bazaars.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her husband Dick (April, 2010).

She is survived by daughter, Amy, and son-in-law, Dan Birtcher of Westerville, Ohio; as well as her older sister, Betty Jane (Manley) Jones of Amherst, N.H.; niece, Roberta Jane (Jones) Meeks; and nephew, Geoff Q. Jones, also of Amherst.

There will be no viewing. A brief graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Milan Cemetery. The Rev. Timothy Kim will officiate. Groff Funeral Home, 1 S. Main St., Milan is handling arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Ann's name to Garden Club Of Ohio Scholarship Fund c/o Marie Modugno, 454 Notre Dame Ave., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221-1852.

Condolences may be made to grofffuneralhomes.com.