Mary Knight Thomas
POTEAU - Services for Mary Knight Thomas will be held Tuesday, July 23, 2002, at 11 at Edgewood United Methodist Church in Hartshorne. Rev. Dale Durnell, minister of the church will officiate, assisted by Fred C. Knight, Jr. Interment will follow at
Oakland Cemetery in Poteau.
Mary was born in Arlington, Texas, to Letha May Lynch and Fred C. Knight Sr.
The family lived in several towns in Oklahoma before moving to Wilburton in 1924. She graduated from Wilburton High School in 1930, where she played basketball and participated in the mixed chorus and girls glee club. In 1933, she married Herman L. Thomas at Eufaula. They moved to Quinton, where she taught school at Tuckers Knob and Ogden for two years. She attended summer school at Southeastern State College at Durant until graduating in 1943. She moved back to Wilburton and taught first and seventh grade while her husband served in the Army Air Force during World War II. In 1944, she and her husband moved to Memphis, where he attended the Southern College of Optometry. Mary taught fourth grade for two years. Later, they moved to Durant in 1946, where her husband was associated with Dr.
R. A. Clay.
Her husband, Dr. Herman L. Thomas, preceded her in death in 1986. Her parents also preceded her in death.
Mary was an avid bridge player. She taught bridge classes at Carl Albert Junior College and belonged to several bridge clubs in Poteau. She was a member of PEO, former member of Eastern Star and Poteau Musical Arts Society. She was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church, where she served many years as Sunday school pianist, sang in the adult choir and was a member of United Methodist Women, serving as district president. She was also the pianist for the Heavener Presbyterian Church for many years.
Nephews serving as pallbearers will be Richard C. Lerblance, Rich Lerblance, Mickey Beare, Jeff Beare, Lee Reser, Glenn Lafitte, Andy Knight and David Knight. Honorary bearers will be Dr. Joe K. Thomas and Jim Kidd.
She is survived by five sisters, Pauline McGee of Dallas, Nelda Allers of Colorado Springs, Colo., Alyce Lerblance and husband Dr.
W. P. of Hartshorne, Wanda Glenn and husband Henry of Tishomingo and Patsy Reser of Healdton; one brother, Fred Knight Jr. and wife Sue of Edmond, as well as an uncle, Jack Bohreer and wife Madolyn of Paris, Texas; a brother-in-law, Dr. James Thomas and wife Tot of Ada; a sister-in-law, Virginia Mcquillan of Tulsa; a nephew, Dr. Joe K. Thomas and wife Rita of Poteau and many other nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home in Poteau. Visitation will be tonight, July 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Edgewood United Methodist Church, Hartshorne, Okla.
