Mary Ellen Thomas, age 101, of Granville, Ohio, went to be with her Lord and savior Jesus Christ on September 15, 2026. Since her childhood, she walked and talked with Jesus all of the days of her life. He was her best friend.
Mary Ellen was born in Oak Park, Illinois on November 11, 1924, to Thomas and Marietta (Hastings) Spencer. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert E. Thomas; sister, Beth Anne (Orv) Bobek; and son, Kent T. Sears.
Mrs. Thomas' professional life was in management with the Ohio Bell Telephone Company for nearly 30 years. She worked and trained in Public Relations and Customer Service. She held managerial responsibilities for the Ohio Bell Speakers Bureau and directed numerous community interaction projects. While serving Ohio Bell she developed many unique programs including "Today's Women in Business" and transitional programs for the general public within the AT&T and Ohio Bell Systems anti-monopoly restructuring.
Throughout the years, she served her community of Dayton as President of Ohio Bell Telephone Pioneers of America, President and Director of The Soroptimist International Club within three states, President of The President's Club of Dayton and President of The Dayton Executive Club. She represented Ohio Bell by serving on various Board positions and Dayton's Sister City program with Augsburg, Germany. She was a Dayton YWCA award recipient in the Salute to Career Women and was selected "Who's Who in American Women".
Upon retirement, she formed her own business interviewing CEO's of Fortune 500 companies, and others, for a Dayton consulting firm. She retired for the second time after nine years and began traveling the world.
Mary Ellen was a member of Central Christian Church of Kettering, Ohio for many years and served as a Bible teacher among other capacities. She attended First United Methodist Church in Newark, Ohio upon her marriage to Robert "Lefty" Thomas.
Two of the most important aspects of Mary Ellen's life was her faith and her family.
She is survived by her children, Sharon Bundrock of Phoenix, Arizona; Larry (Nancy) Sears of Maineville, OH; Julie Sears of Galena, OH; her eleven grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren; with many nieces, nephews and their children.
Family will receive friends on Monday, September 21st from 10-11:00 am at Schoedinger Worthington Funeral Home at 6699 N. Hight St., Worthington, OH 43085.
A funeral service will be held on the same day to follow at 11:00 am.
Burial will take place at Kingwood Memorial Park in Lewis Center, Ohio to follow the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Kenneth Copeland Ministries, linked below for donations.
