Funeral services for Doris Marie Thomas were held Saturday at Church of Christ Eastside in Los Angeles.
Thomas was 73 years of age and died May 31 of ovarian cancer.
She was born the seventh of eight children on March 31, 1939, to James and Marie Mims in Bessemer, Ala. As a youth, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and joined Church of Christ in Bessemer.
In the late 1990s, Thomas re-dedicated her life to the Lord and joined Miracle Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles where she served on the Senior Usher Board. She also received an award from Miracle Missionary Baptist Church for “Grand-mother of the Year.”
Additionally, Thomas joined the Crusaders for Christ, and traveled throughout the States attending lectures and evangelizing the lost.
Thomas graduated from Wehonah High School in Birmingham, Ala., in 1957. She relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1960s. In the late 1960s, she began working for the United States Postal Service where she remained for 31 years. She received numerous awards for performance and service. After retiring from the Postal Service, Thomas began working for the Pepperdine University Foster grandparents program.
Known as a strong, independent and hard working woman, Thomas took care of many and always helped out within her community. She had no problem doing for others or speaking her mind.
Thomas was preceded in death by her mother and father James and Marie; two sons, Melvin Thomas Jr. and Robert Archie Jr.; three brothers Roy Smith, James Mims and Willmer Mims; as well as two sisters Gladys Guest and Elizabeth Guest.
She is survived by a son Carlos Thomas and daughter Andrea Thompson (Arthur); one sister Thelma Belser of Birmingham, Ala.; one brother Carl Smith of Los Angeles, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Jamel Thomas (Yolanda), LaTrice McCoy (Perrie), Arthur Thompson (Lauren), Alicia Crandell (Davione), Jennifer Thompson, Timothy Thompson and Kalyn Archie; and four great-grandchildren, Katelyn Thomas, Lailah Thompson, Davione Crandell Jr., and Denzel Crandell.
