Jean Elizabeth McGrath Thomas

 

To celebrate the life and memory of Jean Thomas, her loving family invite you to a gathering at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais, Friday, July 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Jean Elizabeth McGrath Thomas, 11/11/33 – 9/15/2022, of Grand Marais, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to F.W. McGrath and Emma (Engstrom) McGrath, the second of three children. Growing up she spent summers visiting the Engstrom family farm in Cambridge, Minnesota. Jean graduated from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio in 1957, where she met and married college basketball star W. Lee Thomas. Jean and Lee arrived in Grand Marais in 1958, along with their toddlers Leah and Eric. Lee had been hired as head basketball coach and history teacher at Cook County High School. Jean and Lee had three more children after moving to Grand Marais; Carah, Matthew, and Emily.

Jean was very active in the community over the years, serving as librarian, Cook County Democratic Party chair (lots of bean feeds!) and volunteering with the Hospital Auxiliary and other causes. She helped start a local chapter of the Women’s Club, and it was through their efforts that the first community swimming pool was built. Jean also was active in early efforts to start a community theater, which eventually became the Grand Marais Playhouse, and also helped found the Cook County Wholefoods Co-op. She was very proud of her involvement in these quality-of-life improvements to our community.

Jean worked for many years as a seasonal U.S. Customs Officer at the Pigeon River Border Crossing, and in 1979 she took a 5-year posting to Nassau, Bahamas. After her time in the Bahamas, Jean transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she eventually retired from U.S. Customs.

Jean was always up for adventure and loved to travel, especially by ship. She loved to cook, entertain, tell stories, and was a gregarious, kind, fun-loving, smart, forgiving, and supportive mother and friend. Please join with her family and friends to honor and remember this amazing, strong, brave and beautiful woman, Jean Elizabeth McGrath Thomas, Friday, July 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Cook County Democratic Party in her honor ($50 is fully refundable from the great state of MN!). Jean was a proud Democrat and she’d like that.