Sunday, October 24, 2021
I was so saddened to hear about Mrs. Thomas's passing. I have so many memories of Mrs. Thomas because I grew up with her daughter, Tracey. We were best friends and I spent many days and nights at their house in Lugoff. My first memory is the wonderful meals Mrs.Thomas would prepare when I spent the night at her house. Dinner and breakfast were feasts fit for a king! I remember the very first horse she bought for Tracey, Shadrack, the kitty, Sir Arthur, and the first Jack Russell, Troubles. Mrs. Thomas went on to breed Jack Russells and I remember meeting new fur members of the family as I got older. Mrs. Thomas loved her fur babies so much, going on to rescue dogs and horses over the years so they could have a loving home. I remember the stories about her time as a nurse spent on the battle fields during the Vietnam war, and the soldiers she saved. She was a strong woman who raised her daughter as an only parent, something that was not as common in the 1970's. I remember her supporting Tracey's dream to show horses, working at the shows to help pay for entrance fees. She ensured Tracey had a great education, first at a private school and then a small private college where Tracey was able to spend a year studying overseas and travelling in Europe. In the later years, I would visit Mrs. Thomas and Tracey and hear about the water aerobics she was teaching, and the mission trips she had taken overseas. The last time I saw Mrs. Thomas was earlier in the summer when I was visiting with Tracey. We practiced social distancing because of the pandemic and her health problems, but as I was leaving her home in Columbia, I walked over to her and she gave me an "elbow bump" as a good-bye. I will always remember that last good-bye elbow bump:)
