Mary Jean Harper Thomas was born on June 14, 1951 in Brighton, Tennessee to the blessed union of Thomas Nelson, Sr. and Nellie Mae Harper (nee Jones).
From a very young age, Mary confessed her faith in and followed Jesus Christ as a member of Smith Grove Baptist Church in Brighton, Tennessee, where she would be baptized at the age of 12. She started her academic career at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food and Nutrition and joined the distinguished sorority of Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. She went on to attend the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she would earn a Master’s Degree in Public Health with a concentration in Maternal Child and Infant Nutrition before completing her dietetic internship at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Her professional path led her to Homer G. Phillips Hospital, in St. Louis, Missouri, where she worked as a nutritionist in the WIC Program and a Clinical/Production Dietician and was a member of the American Dietetic Association. In later years, she became the Administrative Executive of Women’s Health Ob/Gyn of St. Louis, Incorporated.
She was married in St. Louis, Missouri on February 2, 1980 to the love of her life, Dr. Jean Alfred Thomas, Sr., and to this union three beautiful children were blessed: Jean Alfred II, Pascale, and Bryant.
Mary was a devoted and loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother, who gave her time and energy to loving and empowering her family, friends and community. Indeed, she was a tireless advocate for the less fortunate, a champion of education, who generously and joyfully shared her many talents as a leader, mentor, advocate, and visionary.
For over two decades, Mary was a member of the Auxiliary to the Mound City Medical Forum, a nonprofit organization which serves the St. Louis Metropolitan area by presenting numerous health education programs and sponsoring nursing scholarships for non-traditional students. She also served as Regional Vice President of the Auxiliary to the National Medical Association. Mary has been involved with many health and community organizations, including as a member of the African American Advisory Board (AAAB) of the Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
In 2006, Mary founded the St. Louis Morehouse College Parents Association, Inc. with the mission to invest in the education of young African American men in St. Louis, to create an economic and professional network to support these young men upon graduation, and to support and mentor the parents of first generation college students. Under her leadership as President, the SLMCPA awarded over $125,000 in scholarships to over 50 young men in the St. Louis Metropolitan area attending Morehouse College. She was also a founding member of the Morehouse Parents Council.
In 2008, Mary was inducted in the St. Louis (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, joining over 14,000 professional women of color internationally committed to enriching the lives of people of African descent through friendship and service. During her twelve years as a member of the organization, Mary served as Chapter Program Chair, International Trends and Services Facet Chair, Chapter Fundraising Chair, and Chapter President from 2013 to 2017 While President, she spearheaded the chapter’s signature program The Salute to Mother’s Award Luncheon. In 2019, she was appointed to the Area Executive Committee as Central Area Archives Chair.
She appeared in St. Louis’ Most Influential and Who’s Who in Black St. Louis; received numerous awards for her leadership and service, including Salute to Women in Leadership Honoree by The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc., Morehouse Parent Council’s Pride Award from Morehouse College, Leadership Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement from The Royal Vagabonds, Inc., and 2019 Women of Achievement Honoree.
She has served on the boards of Deaconess College of Nursing, Our Lady of the Pillar School, and Economic Growth Initiative for Haiti (EGIH). She is a former member of the Parent’s Council of John Burroughs School, former chair of the Morehouse College Parents Annual Giving Campaign, and former Gala Committee Co-Chair of Meds & Food for Kids for Haiti.
She lived her life with purpose, an abiding faith and generosity as large as her commitment to helping others as evidenced by the individuals whose lives have been forever changed for having known her.
In her loving legacy, she leaves behind her devoted husband of 40 years, Dr. Jean Alfred Thomas, Sr.; her three children, Dr. Jean Alfred Thomas, II of Kansas City, Kansas; Pascale Marie Thomas (Tayo Famakinwa) of San Francisco, California; and Bryant Harper Thomas of New York, New York; two beautiful grandsons, August Eniola Famakinwa and Asa Alfred Famakinwa; her sisters, Mai L. Dunn (Bill), Bettye J. Harper, both of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Linda Harper of Nashville, Tennessee, Carmella Harper of St. Louis, Missouri and her brother, Bobby Harper of Covington, Tennessee; her twenty-four nieces and nephews; and countless relatives, friends and admirers of her garden.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Nelson Harper, Sr. and Nellie Mae Harper; her sisters, Dorothy Nathaniel, Valerie Harper and June Allison Harper; her brothers, Thomas Nelson Harper, Jr., Charles Harper and Michael Harper; and nephews, Steve Harper and Charles Michael Harper.
If desired, memorial donations may be made to the scholarship funds of the following organizations:
Auxiliary to the Mound City Medical Forum
Attn: Arlene Moore Ross, AMCMF Treasurer
#29 Westmoreland Place
St. Louis, MO 63108
St. Louis Morehouse College Parents Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 410512
St. Louis, MO 63141-0512
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