IVORY MAE THOMAS

Obituary Mrs. Ivory Mae Thomas was born on June 22, 1927 in Beaumont, Texas to the parents of Mr. and Mrs. Ivory, Mary Rideout. She was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings Wilbert C. Rideout, Edward Rideout and sister Constance Rideout. She was also preceded in death by two nephews, Leonard Owens, and Zachery Rideout; three nieces Evelyn Marie Rideout, Dianna Marie Rideout and Joy Lynn Rideout; one grandson Lamon Edwards Clark. She leaves behind two sons and their wives David, and Lillie Hunt Jr., Leroy and Randi Edwards Jr; one daughter Rose (Thomas) Jemerson. She was also the God-Mother to Sharon Scott and Corrina Carter. She also leaves behind as her nieces and nephews. Her nieces Patricia Knight, Mary Williams, Rose Keaton, Shirley Clark, and nephew William (Billy) Knight are all from Omaha Nebraska; her nephews David and Johnny Brown, Clyde and Quentin (Housley) Rideout all from Kansas City, Missouri. Nieces Nancy Ann Rideout, and Wilma Rideout are from Los Angeles, CA. Her nephew Wilbert C. Rideout is from Seattle, Washington. Ivory Mae Rideout better known as “Ms. Mary, or Mary” also leaves behind two granddaughters, Shaneen M. Nelson, and Phillis S. Martin Hunt. She also leaves behind grandsons Lamon Edwards Clark, and Damon Laduke. She lived to see, and share love among a host of many grand, great, great-great grandchildren; nieces and nephews. She was loved and cherished by many friends who have gone before her, and many are still among us, as well in having outlive four husbands. Ms. Mary always had an open door for family and friends. She was a loving, praying woman as well as a forgiving person. She was full of life and enjoyed life to the fullest. There was never a boring moment around her. She was known for her cooking. Many would flock to her house on holidays to enjoy her soulful cooking and sometimes would just pop-up during meal times. Yes, Ms. Mary’s home was always open to family members and friends to jump-start, or to re-jump start their lives, so they may get on their feet, or get back on their feet. She also was foster parent to two nephews Clyde and Quinton (Housely) Rideout, who were put into homes after their mother Constance Rideout passed away. She also assisted in raising her great grandchildren who were caught -up in the system, which was a lost cause; but she fought to the end. Yes, she was a fighting feisty woman who was known for speaking her mind. She outlived three loving best friends, who she had known for over fifty to thirty years, who they had annual weekend “bid-wiz” and “spades” card parties. They would play from sunset to sunrise, where there was always loud laughter, fun, music (blues), dancing, good cooking and their favorite drinks. Those loving friends were Bobbie J. Moor, Ms. Olean Carter, and Clarice Bland, who all preceded her in death. Besides playing cards, she also enjoyed “fishing” and going to church. She attended and graduated from Herbert High School in Beaumont, Texas where she participated in running track and playing basketball. She would later move to Kansas City, Missouri in 1947 where she worked three different jobs her entire life. She put in 18 to 20 years on each of them. She was known to be a hard-working woman. One who was capable of holding down a job. Her last job was with the United States Department of Energy, Allied Signal, Inc. Kansas City Division which is today’s Honeywell. She worked there for over 18 years until she became ill after being exposed to a toxic chemical spill. While working at Allied Signal she was able to embrace three new friends who she loved until death, Ms. Sylvia Byers, Nina Walker and Alice Lynch. They were always there for one another through good health, sickness and death. They enjoyed celebrating one another’s birthdays by going to the casinos to eat, and gamble on those days of celebrations. Ms. Alice Lynch preceded her in death in 2018. Mr. Fred and Mrs. Mary Thomas were proud members of Fellowship Baptist Church at 7106 Prospect. Which both would attend for many years until health began to fail. Her husband would also precede her in death. She was also a praying woman, who I would always say, “I pray for family, friends and the world.” She was a person who gave much wisdom, and advice to her sons, and the rest of the family members. She would sometimes tell me when we were alone, I may not be perfect, but I will always give perfect love to God, family and friends. But even if she was not perfect, she was the most beautiful, loving, and caring imperfect person I had ever known, if you knew her, you could not help from loving her. For God loved her enough to give her three chances to life, when she was supposed to have died; but she would say many times, “no one will live forever, that whenever God calls for me, remember God is never wrong.” She would also say, “When I die, you may cry because you will miss me, but smile, and celebrate in remembering me, for I have had a good, as well as an enjoyable life with a few regrets. I WAS BLESSED! The sun set on the life of Ms. Ivory Mae Thomas November 29, 2018 at the sun rose for her 12th great-great grandchild. A great-great granddaughter by the name of “Harmony Monet Hunt,” on December 1, 2018, the great granddaughter of David Hunt Jr., and Talisa “Nelson’ Skinner, by their granddaughter “Precious Tromely.” Precious Tromely is the daughter of Shaneen M. Nelson. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, December 8th at Fellowship Baptist Church 7106 Prospect KCMO. Visitation 10:00 A.M. Interment Longview Cemetery. 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IVORY MAE THOMAS

January 22, 1927 - November 29, 2018