Maria Thomas

Maria Mueller Thomas passed away April 25, 2022. She was born September 22nd, 1933 in Lodz, Poland to Josephine and Berthold Mueller. In 1945 the family with brother John, and sister Olga, moved to Osnabruck, Germany, where her sister Barbara Basia was born in 1949. Maria graduated there from high school and entered into business school. On July 27, 1951, the family immigrated to the United States of America. They all lived in Youngstown, Ohio where her father was working as a mechanical engineer, and Maria was learning while working as a floral designer. She married Charles R. Thomas in 1955. They had two sons, David and Richard Thomas. Her husband passed away in 1979. Her son Dave and Jan Thomas had 2 children, Jill Maria and Marshall D. Thomas, later Dave and Michelle had a daughter, Nicholette Noel Maria Thomas.

Maria moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1977 and changed her “hobby” to a new career and became a ballroom dance instructor at her brothers’ studio. In 1982 she married her second husband Victor O. Todd, who passed away in 1987. She loved to teach dancing and at 45 years of age, she won five trophies, five years in a row for best female ballroom dance instructor. She retired in 1994 to help take care of her granddaughter Nikki. She raised her from four months old to 18 years of age due to her mother’s illness.

Tragedy struck when her son Dave (Nikki’s father) died suddenly on May 2, 2011 at the age of 55. On September 4, 2014 they found Marshall (Dave’s son) at 32 years old had died in his sleep in Canton, Ohio.

She leaves behind her only, loving son, Richard Edward Thomas of US Coin and Jewelry in Sarasota, Fl.

She also leaves behind her youngest loving granddaughter, Nicholette Noel Maria Thomas (Nikki)

Maria is also survived by her granddaughter, Jill Maria Thomas, Marshall’s sister, and her children, Maria’s great grandchildren, Jaeda Deserie and Justin David Wayt and their father, Jay Wayt of Canton, Ohio.

She is survived by her only brother, John Mueller of Sara Dance Studio and his wife Ginny and their daughter Michelle Mueller Lea with husband Tim and children, Chelsea and Connor Lea of Sarasota Fl.

Her sister, Olga Dorfi, also lost her husband Mike in March 2014. Her son Johnny, his wife Shelley and Erica and Jenna Dorfi all of Hermitage PA.

Lastly her youngest sister “BASIA” Barbara Smith, her husband Layne, their daughter Tina and her son Trevohnta Smith of St. Petersburg, Fl. Their son Erik Smith and his wife Jessica live in Texas.

Maria is a member of St Martha’s Catholic Church.

Visitation Wednesday May4, 2022 from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Ave, Sarasota, FL.

A Prayer Service will be held at 12 Noon, followed by the committal at Palms Memorial Park.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmsrobartsfuneralhome.com for the Thomas family.