Manor ISD trustee, longtime education advocate dies at 71

Family, education and love of God: these were the pillars that defined Manor Independent School District Trustee Mary Thomas’ life.

Thomas, 71, died Feb. 14 after decades of service to public school students as a teacher, principal, advocate, volunteer and school board trustee.

“Education — that was who she was,” said Ne’Shaun Jones, Thomas’ daughter. “She was a strong advocate for children.”

Thomas taught in Commerce ISD, near Dallas, before she moved to Austin, where she also taught. She taught special education students, led gifted and talented programs, served as a middle school principal and was a grant program specialist. Thomas also spent decades volunteering in the schools.

“She fell in love with education when she was in Commerce,” Jones said. “She just had a passion and a niche for education right there in Commerce. It just kind of became a thing.”

Thomas joined the Manor ISD board of trustees in 2022 and later served as the board’s vice president. She lived in Manor for more than 20 years. Her term on the Manor school board was set to expire in November; trustees have not yet decided how to handle the vacancy. 

Thomas’ death is a “tremendous loss,” Board President Ana Cortez said in a statement.

“Dr. Thomas was a servant leader in every sense of the word,” Cortez said. “She believed deeply in the power of education to transform lives and worked tirelessly to ensure students had opportunities to succeed.”

Manor Superintendent Robert Sormani called Thomas “an amazing educator and leader and friend,” in a Feb. 15 post on social media. 

“It’s hard to overstate her impact on Austin’s public education, students and community,” Sormani said.

Thomas valued the power of education in all areas of her life. She held high expectations for her own two children, especially since Thomas herself was a first-generation college student, Jones said.

“Her legacy and the torch that she leaves is going to carry on,” Jones said.

Thomas graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 1975 and later received a master’s degree in special education and administration and a doctorate in education administration. She also spent time on boards like the Austin Area Alliance of Black School Educators and the Association of Compensatory Educators of Texas. 

When she wasn’t working in or around the classroom, Thomas loved traveling anywhere near water or watching court-related shows like “Judge Judy” or “CSI.”

Jones thought it was fitting that her mother died on Valentine’s Day, a holiday honoring love, which Thomas embodied in all aspects of her life.

The family gathered in the Dallas area, where Jones lives, for a weekend get-together, and they surrounded Thomas when she died. Thomas had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family is hosting a celebration of life 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church.

This report was updated to correct Mary Thomas’ name.