Patricia Amanda THOMAS

PATRICIA AMANDE THOMAS (nee Hibberd) January 9, 1920 - September 13, 2020 Peacefully, at 100 years old, in Midland, Ontario, Patricia was a woman who maintained her tenacity until her final days. Born in 1920, London, England to Winifred and Reginald Hibberd, Patricia spent what she would describe as her "most exciting years" during WWII. Enlisting with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), she operated a teletype by day during the London Blitz. She met and married Ronald Roberts in 1942, an Australian pilot who died in a flying accident 18 months later. She married David Thomas, after his release as a POW in Germany in 1945. They moved to Scotland to begin a family and later to Canada in 1953. An avid reader, gardener, painter and crossword aficionado, Patricia thrived as a librarian in Kleinburg and Bolton. She later resided in Qualicum Beach, B.C., where David died in 1981. Thereafter, in 1996, she moved to Midland to be closer to family. True to her mother's genes (lived until 99), Patricia remained vibrant to celebrate her 100th birthday surrounded by her loved ones. Patricia was known to be a woman ahead of her time. Quick-witted and sharp, she took pride in being a lifelong learner and consumed new knowledge at every opportunity. She was a generous advocate, valuing issues such as women's equity, animal rights and global poverty. Predeceased by her brothers John in 1961 and Dick in 2015, Patricia leaves behind her children Richard (Jody) and Geoffrey (Laurel), grandchildren Cayley, Kevin, Alison, Anne, Hannah and Sophie and great grandchildren Maya, Virginia and Cole. The family would like to thank Hillcrest Nursing Home for their exceptional care and would suggest in lieu of flowers, donations to The Wye Marsh or Georgian Bay General Hospital.