Mary Thomas celebrates 100th birthday with bash at Orchard Manor

Photos by Ginny Kropf (Left) – Mary Thomas celebrates her 100th birthday at Orchard Manor in Medina today with granddaughter Maria Heeg of Chili, formerly of Albion, daughter Bonnie Ruhlen of Albion, son Jim Thomas of Florida, and granddaughter Barbara Bernhardt of Chicago. Jim and his family are former residents of Newfane. Son David from Pennsylvania was also present for a celebration on Sunday, her actual birthday. (Right) B.J. Thomas of Medina hugs her husband Ron’s aunt, Mary Thomas, on the occasion of her 100th birthday, celebrated at Orchard Manor.

MEDINA – Mary Thomas’ 100th birthday turned into a three-day celebration at Orchard Manor Rehabilitation Center.

On Sunday (April 21), her actual birthday, she celebrated with a party for family and friends, including her three children, Jim and David Thomas and Bonnie Ruhlen, followed by cake on Monday with Jim, Bonnie, granddaughters Maria Heeg and Barbara Bernhardt and B. J., Thomas, wife of Mary’s nephew Ron Thomas. On Tuesday, she will celebrate again when Orchard Manor observes all the birthdays falling in April.

Mary grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where she met her husband Franklin at a USO dance.

“He was in the Army Air Corps and we were told it was a girl’s duty to go dance with the servicemen,” Mary said.

Franklin was from Lyndonville and when they married, they returned to Orleans County and settled in Waterport.

Mary led an active life, starting work while she was still in high school for the local Farm Bureau. After moving to Waterport, she was active in Waterport Methodist Church and worked for Orleans County Farm Bureau.

When Mary’s and Franklin’s third child, Bonnie, was born, Mary wanted to stay home, so she got a job selling Avon, where she could take the kids with her to drop off catalogs and pick up orders.

Mary Thomas blows out the candle on her birthday cake at Orchard Manor, in observance of her 100th birthday on Sunday.

Bonnie said her mother lived for a time in Clover Hill Adult Care home in Albion, where she loved to reminisce about the dresser in her room.

“I bought that with my very first paycheck,” she would say.

Jim reminded the family that his mother was still in high school at the time.

When the children were growing up, Mary was president of their school’s PTA, district clerk for Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation, and president of the Rebecca Lodge.

“Us kids like to be in charge, and now I know where we get it from,” Ruhlen said.

The family had set a goal for Mary to receive 100 birthday cards for her 100th birthday. Today they announced she had received 110 cards.