Mary Ella Thomas Owens, 90, of Grand Ridge, Florida passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Marianna, Florida. She was born in Sneads, Florida on April 4, 1932, to Roland B. Alderman, Sr. and Fannie Ezell Alderman. In 1950 Mary met her husband, Rev. Joseph M. Thomas on the campus of Tennessee Temple College where she was employed as a secretary. They married in 1951 and started a family. Over the years she held many career positions; a secretary at Apalachee Correctional Institution for five years. In 1969 they moved to Miami where she went to work at The University of Miami as an Administrative Secretary in the medical field. They moved back to Jackson County in 1979 and Mary began working at Jackson Hospital as a Medical Transcriber for 10 years and finally as a church secretary for the First Baptist Church of Sneads. In 2002, she met and married Melvin Owens. Mary was a faithful Christian and a woman of great faith. She loved the Lord and was a member of Sneads First Baptist Church. She enjoyed playing the piano and singing, those who heard her sing said she had a beautiful voice. Mary was a woman of many talents. She also enjoyed sewing clothes and listening to music, but most of all, Mary loved her family and her beloved canine friends.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Jill Thomas Corbett (Earney) of Sneads, FL; a son, Terry Stephen Thomas of Marianna FL; a step-daughter, Barbara Brown (Joudie) of Tallahassee, FL; two step-sons, Anon Owens (Marie) of Sneads, FL, and Doyle Owens (Nedra) of Chattahoochee, FL; one brother, Roland Bush Alderman (Maria) of Chipley, FL; grandchildren, Stephen, Theresa, Jerimiah, Tara and Shane Corbett (Brandi) along with great grandchildren, Kayden and Shayna Corbett, as well as many other extended family members.
