Mary Williams Thomas

Mary W. Thomas

March 27, 1940 - October 28, 2023

Mary Williams Thomas, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 28 with her family at her side.

Mary was born on March 27, 1940 to Charles and Dorothy (Colton) Carpron in Bennington, VT, and at the age of two, moved with her military family to many cities with Army training bases, including Jacksonville and St. Augustine, FL; Hattiesburg, MS; Columbus, GA; and Leavenworth, KS. After her dad was deployed to the Pacific for WWII, she moved to Orleans, VT where her mother’s family resided. She was proud of her Vermont heritage and the family cottage on Willoughby Lake where she spent summer vacations for most of her long life.

When her dad returned from war, they moved often following her father’s growing career. The family of five finally landed in Greenfield, MA where Mary attended high school and sadly mourned the untimely death of her beloved father. His battle with cancer and his passing left an indelible mark on Mary’s heart that taught her at an early age to embrace life with joy and laughter because she learned firsthand that life is fragile, a precious gift to be enjoyed and treasured. The shared loss formed a tight bond with her two sisters, who were her lifelong best friends.

After graduating from Greenfield High School in 1958, Mary attended Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT, earning an associate degree. After graduation, she worked as a claims adjuster at John Hancock Insurance in Boston. Mary loved her years living on Beacon Hill, attending parties and shopping with her many friends. It was at a party in the City where she met the love of her life, Peter Thomas, a boy from Brighton, MA whose heart was captivated by Mary’s sparkling blue eyes and infectious smile. The couple wed at St. James Church in Greenfield, MA on July 20, 1963. Mary and Peter celebrated their diamond, 60th anniversary this past July among family and friends.

Their marriage produced three daughters, and motherhood proved to be the role God intended for Mary. Raising their family in Rowley, MA, she took pride and interest in all her daughters’ lives and found joy in creating a warm, loving home where all felt welcome and celebrated. Decorating and entertaining came easily to Mary, often called the "hostess with the mostess". Whether it was her girlfriends gathering for coffee and crafting, hosting dinner parties, or table talks with teenagers and their tears, Mary’s warm heart, vibrant personality, and positive nature made all feel at home.

Mary worked at Winninghoff Boats in Rowley, an aluminum boat manufacturer, where she served as “clerk of the works”, managing all aspects of the business, including purchasing, accounting, and mentoring a staff of all men, who treated her like a queen throughout her nearly 20-year tenure.

Boating, playing bridge, and dancing at St. Mary’s Hall filled her years with joy in Rowley.

With her children grown and married, Mary and Peter moved to New Hampshire and found their forever home in Silver Lake with commanding views of Mt. Chocorua. It is there that she reconnected with her faith at St. Margaret Anglican Church and served as a steward of Christ volunteering at Memorial Hospital welcoming visitors with her beautiful smile.

The only thing that brought her more joy than being a mother was being a grandmother. Referred to as Mimi by 10 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter, she has nurtured each of

them with unconditional love. They will forever remember fun times at Mimi’s celebrating holidays, doing puzzles, watching football, and sharing stories over “chips and chat”.

A life well lived is all anyone can ask for and Mary’s life was certainly that. She is predeceased by her mother, father, and grandson, Samuel Wentworth Arnold. Mary is survived by her husband Peter (Silver Lake, NH), her children Gretchen and William Arnold (Silver Lake, NH), Amy and Jason Moore (Newburyport, MA), Karin and Lee Michael (Stratham, NH), grandchildren Joshua, Molly and Wren Arnold (Wolfeboro, NH), Nathan, Travis, Molly and Emma Arnold; Abigail, Bradley and Catherine Moore; Brendan and Mallory Michael, her sisters Patricia and George Rau (Madison, NH), Nancy Baum (Roseburg, OR), and 15 nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life memorial service at St. Margaret’s Church (85 Pleasant St., Conway, NH) on Saturday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m.

As much as Mary loved flowers, her family asks that instead, well-wishers make a charitable contribution to her beloved St. Margaret’s Church at www.stmargaretconway.org.