Mary Ann "Cookie" Thomas

Mary Ann “Cookie” Thomas, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Though her family and friends will deeply miss her, they take comfort knowing she is finally resting and free from illness.

Cookie was truly one of a kind - a world-class baker whose sweet creations brought joy to everyone who tasted them. She earned numerous awards for her delicious treats at the Medina, Texas Apple Festival, impressing judges and friends alike with her mastery of everything from Baked Alaska to Black Forest cake to lemon meringue pie. Her kitchen was her happy place, filled with warmth, laughter, and the aroma of something wonderful in the oven.

When she wasn’t baking, Cookie loved the coast. Every year, her family made the cherished trip to Port Aransas, where they stayed at the “Lost Colony.” There, she found peace walking along the beach, collecting seashells and sand dollars, each one a tiny treasure from the sea. She also delighted in discovering hidden gems at garage and estate sales, always able to spot beauty and potential where others might overlook it.

For 45 years, Cookie opened her heart and home to countless children through her in-home daycare. She truly loved taking care of children and treated each one as if they were part of her own family. Her nurturing spirit, patience, and joy created a safe and loving space where little ones thrived.

Cookie was, as her loved ones fondly say, “one tough cookie.” She faced life’s challenges with courage, grace, and humor, surviving multiple rounds of cancer treatments and other health battles with unshakable spirit. Through it all, she remained kind, generous, and full of love.

Cookie was preceded in death by her son, Leonard Andrew Thomas Jr. in 2019. She is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, Leonard Andrew Thomas, Sr.; her cherished children, Steven Eugene Thomas, Theresa Eileen Thomas, and Melissa Annette Ling and husband James, and daughter in law Michele Carmel Thomas; grandchildren, Samuel Zachary Thomas, and Tyler Edward, Thomas James and wife Samantha, Madison Taylor, and Timothy Scott Ling; and her beloved fur baby cats, Kit Kat and Midnight, who brought her comfort and companionship.

Mary Ann “Cookie” Thomas’s legacy lives on in every sweet memory she created - in her family’s laughter, in her recipes shared, and in the love she baked into every moment.

The family will receive friends for visitation on Monday, November 10, 2025, beginning at 6:00 PM at Porter Loring Mortuary, located at 1101 McCullough Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212. A vigil service will begin at 7:00 PM. The funeral will be held the following morning, Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Porter Loring Mortuary, after which a procession will depart for Holy Cross Cemetery where Cookie will be laid to rest near her son, Leonard.

Flowers, which Cookie loved dearly, are welcome, however memorial contributions may be made instead to St. PJ's Children’s Home, www.stpjhome.org in her honor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mom was Born January 25, 1944, in San Antonio to Elbert Christian Cook and Mary Blanche Fuller Cook.

Although she was born an only child, Mom told many stories of the special times she spent with her many cousins growing up. She attended St. Martin’s Hall and Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School, and graduated in 1962.

Mom married our Dad, Leonard Andrew Thomas, Sr. on October 10, 1962 and went on to have 4 children; Leonard, Steven, Theresa, and Melissa.

Mom was very active as a homeroom Mom, planning parties, baking cakes, cookies, and making sure kids enjoyed themselves!

Growing up on Big Horn, Dr. Mom was the “informant” for our half of the block, reporting and swapping information to a neighbor on the other end of the block. There were many house parties, barbeques, day trips to the beach or nearby towns, and just lots of great memories in the ten years we lived there.

Mom’s in-home daycare began on Big Horn and flourished. In October of 1983, all but one of the daycare families she had at the time followed her to Mossbank Lane, where she continued to provide daycare until the spring of 2019. Many families became friends. She was affectionately known as Mary Ann, Mommy Ann, Honey, and Grandma to numerous babies and toddlers.

Grandma attended just about every soccer game, cheerleading and dance performance, piano recital, band concert, basketball, football, baseball and any other sport or school performance there was to attend. We were often the first to arrive, so we could get the best seats to watch and take videos.

Just about every weekend growing up, and later when the grandkids slept over, everyone was awakened by the smell of Grandma’s homemade buttermilk pancakes. Grandma made sure there was Promised Land Chocolate milk for breakfast and whatever kind of bacon or sausage each of the grandkids preferred. As one of her grandson’s said, Grandma never said “No.”

Mom loved going on day trips. She won numerous Apple Anything awards in Medina, Texas for her Apple Dumplings. She loved going to car shows, even entering her 96 Mitsubishi GT 3000, and winning an award in Comfort, TX. She also carefully planned family vacations long before the internet, making her own itineraries and reservations from brochures and phone calls, making sure we stayed busy the entire day and that we saw everything there was to see and do wherever we vacationed.

Grandma very much enjoyed cooking and baking. For birthdays, you got your favorite meal and cake (or pie). She also loved the Holidays and helped make many very special memories. The grandkids looked forward to their annual Easter shopping at H.E.B. Alon, making a basket train throughout the aisles picking out their favorite cereals, drinks, snacks, candy, and gum. We all looked forward to our annual family beach trip at The Lost Colony in Port Aransas. All the grown kids cooked, Grandma and Grandpa brought the margarita machine. She enlisted the grandkids every year to help bag candy for Halloween. Until more recent years, Grandma made everything for Thanksgiving, including waking up at 3:00A.M. in the morning to make the turkey. She prepared ahead of time by making potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, and several pies. For several weeks during the Christmas season after the daycare kids left for the day, Grandma and Grandpa went shopping for hours, making sure everyone got what they asked for. Even through her health struggles, Mom was determined to cook and bake. Her first chemo treatment was scheduled for a Friday in December when she had already planned her annual Christmas party for family, friends, and neighbors. We told her, “Mom, you might feel sick, or tired.” Her response was, “Well, I’m still making my lasagna.”, and she still made 3 pans of lasagna. She welcomed everyone with a smile.

Despite her dementia, Mom was still very alert and aware. She waved to all her friends in the hallways at Inspiration Hills where she was known as Mary, Cookie, and even “Baby” by some of the residents. One of the residents even gave her some yellow sparkly shoes that she had won at Bingo. If they didn’t see her, they made sure to come by her room for a visit.

Our Mom was a remarkable, spectacular woman. She lived a very active, rewarding life. I take comfort in knowing that she is in Heaven, in peace, free from pain, awaiting to be reunited with us one day.

“Those who touch our lives, stay in our hearts forever.”