Mary Thomas

Mary Helen Thomas NORFOLK - Mary Helen Thomas, 85, of Densmore Place, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on May 22, 2010. She was a native of Virginia. She was the daughter of the late J. Moody and Rena Holland and predeceased by her husband, Ellis G. Thomas Sr. and her son, Moody Baloos Thomas Sr. Left to cherish her memory are son, Ellis G. Thomas Jr.; two sisters, Gloria Norris of Norfolk, Lois Koester of Corpus Christi, Texas; seven grandchildren; three great- grandchildren; three nephews; and one niece. Mary Helen was instrumental in the development of the water safety program in the Tidewater area for 52 years, working through the YWCA and the American Red Cross. She received many awards throughout her career and is honored by having the Mary Helen Thomas Racial Justice Award named after her for having broken down the racial barriers within the swimming community in the 1960s. The funeral will be held Tuesday, May 25, at 10:30 a.m. at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Tidewater Drive Chapel. Burial will follow immediately at Forest Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Mary Helen Thomas Fund, American Red Cross, 611 W. Brambleton Ave. Norfolk VA 23510 or YWCA, 5215 Colley Ave., Norfolk, VA 23508. The family would like to give a special thanks to Leslie Paul for all of her support. The family would like to invite friends to join them after the burial at her residence.