Sister Nancy Thomas, MM

Born: November 8, 1927
Entered: October 30, 1947
Died: March 3, 2024

On the evening of March 3, 2024, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Sister Nancy Thomas quietly slipped into the loving embrace of the God whom she had so loved at Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, New York. Nancy Ruth Thomas was born on November 8, 1927 to Wilhelmina F. Vogts and Ignatius B. Thomas in Washington, DC. She had one brother, Norbourn and one sister, Mary Clare, all have predeceased her.

Nancy’s father was a career army man, the family moved many times, and many places. One particular place was the Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii, which was her favorite place. She attended public schools and various catholic grade schools including Maryknoll School in Honolulu. Her family was evacuated from Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They ended up in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1945, Nancy graduated from Mt. St. Agnes High School and then attended Mt. St. Agnes Junior College and graduated in 1947 with an Associate in Arts degree. She later attended Maryknoll Teachers College at Maryknoll, NY and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Education Degree.

She entered the Maryknoll Novitiate at Valley Park, Missouri on October 30, 1947. She made her First Profession of Vows on May 8, 1950 at Valley Park and her Final Profession of Vows three years later on May 8^th in Hawaii. Sister Nancy’s first mission assignment was to Hawaii in 1952. She taught at St. Ann School in Kaneohe, Oahu, Maryknoll School at Punahou, Oahu, St. Anthony School on Maui and St. Augustine School in Waikiki, Oahu until 1972.

Returning the Maryknoll Sisters Center in 1972 for Congregational Services, she served in the Development Department as Director of Promotions. According to Sr. Nancy, it was a wonderful three years with a marvelous group of Sisters. The four women began an in-depth Mission Education in schools, convents and seminaries across the country.

For the next four and half years, Bolivia was to be Sr. Nancy’s home. Working in Riberalta and Cochabamba as a Pastoral Agent.

In 1981, she was assigned to the Western US Region and missioned to Gilroy, CA. She was the Director of Religious Education (DRE) at St. Mary’s Gilroy for many years. She was instrumental in creating several programs, guided the creation of a middle school Religious Education program, and assisted in Faith Formation programs for the Diocese of San Jose. One of her priorities was on-going training for the Religious Education teachers.

Later, after eight years, she left the parish work and continued to serve the Communities of Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill in South Santa Clara County, impacting the lives of those experiencing homelessness, poverty, domestic violence and substance abuse. She volunteered at The Lord’s Table and National Guard Armory which serves the homeless.

In 1987, Sister Nancy moved to a farm in a small low-income area a few miles from her work as religious education coordinator in Gilroy.

In 1995, she retired and began volunteering as an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence under Next Door Solutions, which also dealt with drug and alcohol abuse. The work involved answering crisis calls and accompanying survivors to the hospitals and to the courts, and helping out in the office once a week.

She was a member of Women in Black, an organization that would hold protest demonstrations every week for one hour on one of the busiest streets of Gilroy. The women, dressed in black, would carry signs and candles as a symbol of their mourning and protest for the violence and war around the world. Nancy also volunteered part-time at a homeless shelter, one day a week.

Sr. Nancy also hosted a group of women who met weekly to discuss Evolutionary Christianity and the great universe. She had a passion for God’s great creation of the universe. Especially her own little piece of heaven where she lived in the country, caring for all the critters that came by to visit. At the same time of serving the community of Gilroy, she served as the Finance person for the Maryknoll Sisters Western US Region.

In 2022, when Nancy’s health indicated that she needed medical attention and more personal care, she returned to Maryknoll, New York and took up residence in its Residential Care. Here she embraced the last phase of her mission life. She was well cared for by aides and nurses, until her death on March 3, 2024.

In her personal file Nancy left this note which was meant to be shared.

Many years ago, we in the Western Region chose friendship as our core value. Friendship seems to encompass all of the more specific values, that, in our diversity, we want to express. I do want to claim these words for my own and to say that they have been a challenge, a guide, a support, a strength to my life.

We choose friendship with the understanding that friendship with Jesus was first.
When we are moved to cherish other persons, to have a deep respect for them,
to help then, and to learn from then, then we are loving and following
in the footsteps of Jesus.

When we strive for an integrated world of justice and reconciliation, then we are living Jesus’ message.

When we seek to befriend all creation, humanity, plants, animals, eco-systems, the planet, the universe and beyond, we come to see the enormous extent of our Connectedness.

All of which expands our sense of wonder, of praise, of belonging, of responsibility, of love, of mission and we embrace in friendship the Cosmic Christ.

The following excerpts are from two women, who were colleagues and friends of Sr. Nancy when she was in Gilroy:

A favorite thing she enjoyed was going over to my brother’s house to his observatory and view the universe through his big telescope.

On a personal note, our family loved her dearly. She always made herself available to lend an ear to hear our problems, a shoulder to cry on, and a needed hug when we needed one. She was there for us as we raised our children and grandchildren including holidays, and Holy days. We had so much fun going to A’s baseball games, and many parades and on, and on. Our sons were sad to learn of her passing. They both have known her all their lives. She left a positive impact on them as they shared memories of her and family gatherings. We are a better family because she was there for us. Thank you Lord for Sr. Nancy.

We welcome Fr. Dave LaBuda M.M., who will preside at this Mass of Christian Burial.