Paula Thomas
Saying So long to a grand lady.. A couple of words come to mind that encapsulate the essence of my Mum who passed peacefully on Halloween. ( Funny I think the angels needed some more chocolate! )
The First Word is SHARP - Mum was always sharp of mind, sharp of wit, and at times sharp of tongue when we deserved it! 😊 My friends recall Mom as a “pistol, a hot ticket, super fun, opinionated and always spoke her mind.” You have to be strong to be SHARP and Mum taught me to be strong in many ways. She was a great role model to me and many other women as an early trailblazer at Gillette. A wealth of wisdom and experience, she gave me confidence and I feel lucky that she always had the best advice as a mentor and friend, who shared her uncanny business insights, taught me a ton and made me who I am today.
A second word that also sums up my Mum is STYLE: With grace and class, Mom was the consummate “Fashionista” and always stepped out in style. I learned this gift at a young age, to dress for success, buy nice things and always look in Vogue. We traded clothes, bought the same things, and shopped till we dropped wherever we happened to be together – in Paris boutiques, Seattle, La Conner, Boston and Andover. We also worked flea markets together and I worked at Hay Scales with her. She loved Retail and volunteered at the Thrift store doing the POS tickets, so she could have a birds eye view to what was coming in the door, and yes of course to be sociable with all !
A lover of adventure, Mum loved our special times in Seattle, Camano Island, Friday Harbor, Vancouver, Florida, Maine and 3 amazing trips to Paris! She fit in wherever she was. She gave me gardening tips and weeded my gardens many times on Camano.
I recently heard a quote from the Bible that sums up my Mum nicely: “A good name is better than fine perfume; The day of death is better than the day of Birth “ because we build a good name & solid reputation for ourselves. Mum built her legacy over her 94 years and I cherish the memories and inspiration she gave me in both good and hard times. A few months ago, I wrote “ Letters to my Mom “which highlighted many of our fun times & best memories. I read each Letter to her when I visited her at Methuen Village and I’m so glad I did.
I find comfort in the fact that she is in Paradise, sleeping with the angels, & shopping for the latest. A toast of Champagne to my Mumsy, who has the best seat at the bar now having a glass of Chardonnay or a Scotch along with some chocolate, and now reunited with my Dad, Nanna, Jenny and many of her friends.
Salut Mumsy, Cin Cin et je t’aime. A bientot! xoxo Paula
