Mary Pauline Thress

May 30, 1920 ~ June 12, 2012

Mary Pauline Thress, age 92, affectionately known as Mom and Grandma, passed away peacefully with family and friends present, Tuesday, June 12, 2012 in Round Rock, TX. Mary was born May 30, 1920 on a small farm in the Quaker community of Whittier, Linn County, IA just northwest of Springville, to Willard Eli and Nellie Jane (Moore) Groves. She was the older of two children. The family attended the Quaker Church in Whittier, IA.

Mary attended Springville High School and after graduation, work for Dr. Tagget in Springville, before meeting and marrying her husband of 40 years, Frederick Russell Thress on October 10, 1945. They began their life together in Ashtabula, Ohio; moved to Cleveland and Mentor, Ohio before retiring again to Ashtabula. They had two sons, Marvin Eugene and Frederick Raymond Thress.

Mom was a great homemaker and made sure her family was well taken care of. Her world was her family. She loved all types of sports games, especially football, baseball, basketball and car racing. She regularly attended her sons’ and grandchildren’s sporting events. If she wasn’t attending a family event…she was watching sports television. Mary’s teams were the Cleveland Browns, Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Indians, Dale Sr., and Junior Earnhart. She also loved playing cards; her game of choice was Euchre.

After dad’s death in November 1985, mom remained in Ashtabula until her mother, Nellie, whom she cared for, for many years after the death of grandpa; passed away. Mom moved to Toledo, Ohio to be near Marvin until July, 2002 when she moved to Round Rock, TX living in an apartment close to her son, Fred. In November 2008 she moved into the Park Valley Inn Nursing Facility in Round Rock.

“Mom and Grandma; we all love you and will miss you being with us. You will always be in our hearts”.

Mary’s family would like to thank the staff, nurses, doctors and attendants at Park Valley Inn and the nurses of Lighthouse Hospice for the care they provided to our mom and grandma in her final years.

Mary is survived by her son, Frederick R. Thress and wife, Janet of Round Rock, TX; grandchildren, Kevin L. Thress and wife, Lauren of Leander, TX; Richard L. (Rick) Thress and wife, Nadine, of Charlotte, NC; Kathleen S. (Sis) Huckabee and husband, David of Akron, OH; Robert W. (Robb) Thress and wife, Kelly of Reston, VA; and Holly L. Tidikis and husband, John of Charlotte, NC; and Rick, Sis, Robb and Holly’s mother, Susan Wells. Mary is also survived by 7 great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Denise Thress, sister-in-law, Norma Thress, and several cousins and loving friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Willard and Nellie; her husband, Fred; her son, Marvin and her brother, Marvin W. (Bud) Groves, who was lost on a ship overseas in WWII.

In lieu of flowers please send donation in Mary’s name to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.

A graveside service will be on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. at Edgewood Cemetery in Ashtabula, Ohio.