Bernice Thomas

BERNICE THOMAS, daughter of Lee and Loice Watkins, was born in Ansonville, North Carolina, April 13, 1929. She received the call of God on July 15, 2023, and was united in heaven with her late husband Sam W. Thomas. Bernice Thomas was raised in Ansonville, North Carolina. She received her formal education in the Anson County School System and joined the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where she was baptized. Bernice met the love of her life, Sam Thomas, in Anson County and they were married on December 28, 1946. Their marriage lasted nearly 70 years until Sam’s transition in 2015. Of this union, seven children were born. The family lived in North Carolina where five of the children were born until they moved to Washington D.C. in 1953. The family then moved to Baltimore in 1954, where the youngest two children were born. Bernice continued church fellowship in Baltimore when she joined Nazarene Baptist Church in 1957. She later joined Calvary Baptist Church in 1969 and enjoyed singing on the church choir and participating in the Prime Age and Women’s Ministry. Providing a Christian foundation for her family was of the utmost importance to her as she would faithfully take her children and grandchildren to church, even as toddlers. Bernice started to work in 1955 at a diner. She would often tell the story of how she gave the little that she had in the collection plate at church, just as the widow in the Bible. She strongly believed her faithfulness aided her in gaining employment at London Fog in 1962, from which she retired in 1991 after nearly 30 years. She had many hobbies. She loved to sew, make clothes, model at church and family reunions, and read the comics “funny papers” from the newspaper. She also loved to garden, growing her own fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and squash. She was also an avid scratch baker making bread, cakes, pies, cookies, and candy. The love of baking led her to enroll in professional cake decorating classes at the Wilton Baking School. Bernice was the family matriarch and was the glue that connected the family. She loved hosting family gatherings, including holiday dinners, birthday celebrations, and spending quality time with family. She was also the baby-sitter extraordinaire, providing care for many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved giving time to listen, sharing advice, and traveling to take care of sick family members. Bernice was one of eight siblings, all of whom preceded her in death. She also had four children who preceded her in death: Leyoma “Tinkie” Thomas (Vernon), Minnie Lorraine “Rene” Akindojutimi (Wilson), Tysonia Thomas and Leon Thomas. Bernice leaves to mourn: three children, Sherman Thomas Sr. (Carolyn) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Clementine Thomas and Anthony Thomas (Debra) both in Baltimore, Maryland; a sister-in-law, Margaret Covington of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; two sons-in-law, Wilson Akindojutimi and Vernon Thomas both of Maryland; thirteen grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, twelve great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Tributes

Bernice Thomas

April 13, 1929 - July 15, 2023