Suzanne "Mimi" Thames

Suzanne Reddell Thames, 77, of Beaumont, died on Sunday, November 16, 2025. She was born on December 25, 1947, in Abilene to Jane Simpson Reddell and David Lloyd Reddell.

The family moved from Abilene to Odessa when she was two years old. She began taking piano lessons at a young age and became a church accompanist early in her high school years. After graduating from Permian High School, she attended Odessa College, Hardin-Simmons University and Baylor University, where she continued her musical education with a concentration in keyboard performance. By that time, she was an accomplished organist and pianist and became an accompanist at almost every church she attended, most recently as organist at First Baptist Church of Odessa from the early 1980's until 1999. She accompanied the FBC Odessa Chancel Choir at the Southern Baptist Convention in San Antonio in 1988. She also taught piano and organ lessons in her home during most of her adult life up until 1999.

She married Jimmy Ray Thames in Odessa in 1986, where they resided along with their children. They enjoyed family road trips to visit family in south Texas and the DFW area, various Texas amusement parks, and the mountains and tourist spots in New Mexico. After moving to Houston in 1999, they began attending Second Baptist Church in Houston, but she decided she was retired and just played the piano and organ at home for her own relaxation and pleasure and for that of her family. That plan was gradually suppressed by the onset and advancement of arthritis in her hands in the early 2000's.

They continued to enjoy road trips to visit family and friends in south and north Texas, returning regularly to the Odessa area, and adding Tennessee and Alabama to their regular destination list. A highlight of their travels was a cruise with church friends of the New England coast and the Canadian maritime provinces, with a number of exceptionally fascinating onshore excursions.

She was "Mimi" to her grandchildren, a name which gradually became her name to a number of other family members and friends. She greatly enjoyed holiday visits with her kids and grandkids, especially when everybody was there for Christmas, since they all gathered at least partly for her birthday, which was on Christmas day.

Over the years, she also spent a great deal of time studying her Bible. She had several Bibles but the one she used most when studying was one in which she used a red map pencil to mark what she called "the important parts.". Almost every line in that study Bible is marked.

Adding to the arthritis, multiple strokes in 2016 and 2017 caused a rapid overall decline in her health, made even worse by the cancer-related death of second daughter Rebecca in 2017. The arrival of three great-grandchildren during that period eased the stress of the decline somewhat.

Survivors include her husband, Jimmy Ray Thames; children, Heather Parson and her husband, Cris, of Beaumont; Jeffrey Thames of Allen; Jennifer Thames-Hamilton and her husband, Chris, of Thompson's Station, Tennessee; step children Kory Thames Harman and his wife, Sherri, of Hudson Oaks; and Kari Loubser and her husband, Keenan, of Richmond; grandchildren, Holly Floyd and her husband, Adam; Catherine Griffis and her husband, Noah; Analeigh Thames; Raylie Thames; Jewel Thames; Henry Thames; Giselle Gillett; Ezra Gillett; Isaiah Gillett; Michael Hamilton; Megan Hamilton; and Connor Hamilton; great-grandchildren, Rey Floyd, Amelia Floyd, Gavin Griffis, and Aviana Estelle; siblings, David L. Reddell II, Annette Snowden, Patricia Reddell; nephews, Kristian Snowden; Joshua Snowden and his wife, Evette; and Brice Reddell and his wife, Janet; niece, Kimberley Cole and her husband, James; numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, stepchildren and step grandchildren.

Suzanne is preceded in death by her parents, and daughter, Rebecca Evangelyn Thames.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Refuge Center for Counseling, 4317 Long Lane, Franklin, Tennessee 37064, STCH Ministries, P.O. Box 1210, Beeville, Texas 78104, or Gift of Life, 2390 Dowlen Road, Beaumont, Texas 77706.

A graveside service for Mrs. Thames will be 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at Mineral Cemetery, 4916 County Road, Mineral. Her memorial service will be held at a later date.