Mary Lee Thomas was born on September 22, 1929 in Leland, Mississippi to the (late) Isaac (Buddy) Hopkins and the (late) Roberta Oliver, who later married Milton Oliver who helped to raise her.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Thomas, a baby boy who died of pneumonia, three sisters, Katherine Warner, Dorothy Dunn and Caldonia Coffee; four brothers, Alfred Dunn, James Oliver, Willie Oliver and Emmett Oliver.

Mary accepted Christ at an early age under the leadership of Rev. J.H. Hall in Grace Mississippi.

Mary later moved from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois around 1954. Several years later she moved to Evanston, Illinois where she married the love of her life, (late) Henry Thomas. She worked as a Hairdresser, Nail Technician and managed a Cleaning & Upholstery Service.
Mary departed this life for a home in glory on Thursday, June 24, 2022 around 8:17pm, at North Shore University Health System - Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois.

She leaves to cherish her precious memories, three sisters, Janie Wade of Chicago, Illinois, Lula LaBelle Landown of Kansas City, Missouri and Earlene Oliver of Des Plaines, Illinois, one brother, Milton Oliver (Annie) of Minooka, Illinois, her nephews and nieces that she raised for a part of their lives: Mary Ann Johnson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Willie B. Landown (Scottie) of Cleveland, Mississippi, Alexander Rodgers (LaToya) of Gurnee, Illinois and one niece whom she raised, Sandra Landown-Murphy of San Bernardino, California, who preceded her in death, a very special lifelong friend, Leola Tolliver of Chicago, Illinois, several step-children, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and others whom she dearly loved.