Margaret Ann Thomas

Margaret Ann (Floyd) Thomas, loving Christian wife, mother, and grandmother, joined her Lord and Savior on Friday, May 5, 2017, at the age of 92. She was preceded by her husband of 69 years, William (Bill) Raymond Thomas, Sr., their son, William R. (Ray) Thomas, Jr., her parents, William H. and Flora B. Floyd of S.C., four brothers and one sister. Margaret accompanied her husband throughout his 20-year career with the U.S. Navy, traveling with their children to live in many locations including Cuba and Italy. Her family settled in Virginia Beach in 1958 where Bill retired as a chief warrant officer and began a new career as General Manager for Perry Buick. With Bill by her side and four children to raise, Margaret also committed herself to the establishment of Suburban Christian Church where she was hired as the first Director of Religious Education which also included the duties of church secretary. For fifty years she remained a faithful pillar of that congregation, dedicated to taking the lead on anything that was needed, from creating church literature to chairing numerous committees and overseeing fellowship activities including Vacation Bible School. She placed the first church memorial on record, (a bible to honor one of her three minister brothers), sang in the choir for over 40 years, kept the sanctuary graced with lovely flower arrangements and was still hand cutting and preparing communion trays for the services in her eighties. In the 1970’s, Margaret established a Hallmark Cards business which included a florist and two gift stores. She personally ran Thomas House Limited, for more than 20 years, growing her franchise into one of the largest in the mid-Atlantic region. Margaret was regularly recognized in the community, even after she retired, by former customers who came to rely on her classic style, keen collector’s eye and personalized customer care. Her

carefully chosen gifts remain special keepsakes and heirlooms with all of her family members and likely with many of her customer’s acquaintances as well. Her artistic sense was also reflected in her love of gardening and she could be seen on most weekends enhancing her award winning home landscape. Her children and grandchildren looked forward to the honor of Nannie’s amazing dinners where the table was loaded with her wonderful Southern cooking and always “set beautifully” with her china. Margaret applied a commitment to quality to everything she did, leaving a legacy of beautiful memories for her family and friends. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 12, at the Eternal Hills Funeral Home, Snellville, GA where Margaret had been a resident at

Scepter/Parkwood Nursing Center since 2010. Her final resting place will be with her husband and son at Rosewood Cemetery in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is survived by three of her four children and their spouses, Ann (Thomas) and Burt Turnure, Michael and Jean Thomas, and Rick and Randy Thomas, six wonderful grandchildren Cynthia Matza, Stacy Schwartz, Ashley Baker, Lauren Kern, William M. Thomas and Collin R. Thomas, and their families including eight great-grandchildren Arrangements under the direction of Eternal Hills Funeral Home, Snellville, GA.