Obituary of Clarency Marie Thomas

She was a vibrant soul, one who literally lit up the room whenever she entered. And right up until she became less able to get around, Marie was full of joy and always eager to help out, no matter what the problem was. Being a mother of four boisterous boys – me Jamil, Mykael and Bryce. Marie had a hard time juggling the demands of us all, but she never complained at her unenviable task, nor did she ever turn anyone away – be it family, friends or local faces, wanting to stop by the house for a quick chat. Marie had an inherent love of music – in particular, the music of Anita Baker and Patty label. – and she’d always find time to put one of the those hits on the stereo whenever she could. Much to my Dad’s never-ending frustration, I might add! Her favorite tune was “ no one in the world” – a song that became synonymous with the family home, and one which she first heard when she was driving home from work, in the early 1980s. Marie would always talk about those days as if they only happened yesterday, when the pair of them would take off in Dad’s car for some wild adventure, without the burden of her 2 boys fighting! This was before my two younger brothers were born. They shared a love of travel, and would often explore different parts of the country, investigating little country towns and farms off the beaten track. City slickers, they were not. And they were proud of the fact, too. After I moved out, I’d often make time to go visit my mom. The one-hour drive meant nothing, of course – particularly after my Dad passed away, and my mom was on her own. She thrived, though, in her own way – always keeping busy, never feeling sorry for herself, and always excited to see her boys, her grandchildren, as well as friends from the town. Marie was a popular lady and despite enjoying time alone, would welcome company as if it a natural extension of her new, quieter life. Clarency was raised in California, a big city called Los Angeles. She had one younger brother Kenneth Thomas and younger sister Agnes Thomas. Clarency had moved out of home at a young age to explore the world and create her own stamp on life. She was an outstanding student at school, and she maintained long-term friendships and interests from her school days, and always emphasised the importance of a good education to us all (and for our own children!). Clarency continued her passion of art collecting, reading books to her heart’s content while Anita Baker merrily played on the record player (Marie never did accept the changing of technology – you’d never see a CD anywhere in her house!). We knew not to irked my mom, just to let her enjoy her hobbies uninterrupted. My lasting memories of my mom are simple: a hard-working, passionate figure of strength who never waned in her support or love of her family, and who soldiered on, even when times were tough. It is a great privilege to write this eulogy to express the sadness that all of her boys share over her loss. Mom, thank you for everything you've given us – and the warmth we shared during your precious time on earth. God bless you. We love you with every part of our being. Always. Memorial Service to be held on Friday October 25th from 3pm-6pm at Valley of Peace Chapel. 44915 10th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 For those attending please wear green as that was her favorite color.