Mary Elizabeth Thompson, beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother died after a brief illness at the University Medical Center at Princeton on Monday, March 30, 2009 at the age of 101.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas on January 5, 1908, Mary was the daughter of John Tancred owner of a steel company and Lena (Rogers) Tancred. She had two brothers - John and Mallory, and two sisters - Grace and Lucille. Mary was always extremely proud of her Texas roots. After Mary's college career was cut short by illness she worked for a jeweler in Witchita Falls, Texas where she developed a lifelong interest in business and a remarkable expertise in bookkeeping. She met and married John Peters Thompson, a petroleum geologist for the Amerada Corporation. Mary and John first lived in several East Texas towns and then moved to Houston, Texas where their daughter Mary Elizabeth (Betty) was born. The family later lived in Jackson, Mississippi and in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Widowed after 55 years of a devoted marriage, she became a resident of Monroe Village in 1996.
Mary loved to travel with her husband. They visited all 50 states and Europe, and they took a round-the-world trip by plane which provided her with many happy memories. Until the age of 98, Mary continued to fly back to Texas to spend Thanksgivings with relatives, and she also flew to California in 2006 to spend Christmas there with her grandchildren and their families. She was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and, even after her move to New Jersey, viewed their televised games with delight. Although politically a financial conservative, Mary was always very liberal on social issues. She had a strong belief in equal rights for women and minorities, even when living in the south at a time when people holding these views were very much in the minority.
Mary had a wonderful, positive attitude and a very happy disposition. While living in Tulsa she was active in her church circle and charity groups, her garden club, her investment club, The Oaks Country Club, and several bridge groups. She was an enthusiastic participant in many activities and usually became the treasurer of any organization to which she belonged. She was a long time member of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa and, upon moving to New Jersey, became active in the church at Monroe Village, especially the bible study groups. Mary loved her family, always enjoyed the company of friends, grew luscious plants in her glassed-in-porch at Monroe village, and continued to play bridge until very recently. Mary was interested in many charities, especially those providing support to children and those fighting disease.
She will be remembered with love by her daughter Betty Roach, son-in-law William Ronald Roach, grandsons William John and Richard David Roach, granddaughter-in-law Mary Malecki Roach, great-grand children Kaitlyn Elizabeth and Amanda Carolyn Roach, and John's friend Lisa Eby. She also leaves behind a loving extended family in Texas, Ron's brother, and many other wonderful friends. She will be interred next to her husband in a private service at the columbarium in Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A memorial service will be held at Monroe Village, Monroe Township, NJ on May 2, 2009 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to the Futures for Children, 9600 Tennyson St, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122 or Alzheimer's Association, 225 North Michigan Ave, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601.