Charity and Love: Recognizing Employee Mary Thomas

“If the world takes something from us on the one hand, God will give us something on the other.”

St. Louise de Marillac

By Sebastian Isaacs, Communications intern

Mary Beth Thomas is known for the many food drives she organizes at Mother Margaret Hall, inviting Sisters and employees to come together in support of those in need.

For many Sisters, employees and visitors, SC employee Mary Beth Thomas is the first face they see when they walk through the doors of Mother Margaret Hall. As a receptionist and wellness screener since 2020, she offers a warm smile and enthusiastic greeting to everyone who enters.

Recently, Mary Beth was honored with a LeadingAge Ohio STARS Award, along with fellow campus employees Lester Addis and Brian Kock. The award recognizes frontline employees who contribute to the culture and spirit of their organizations and who make a difference every day.

Director of Human Resources Fallon Lane-David, who nominated Mary Beth, highlighted the many ways she enriches the community: “She has a unique ability to touch the soul of everyone she encounters. She donates gift baskets for events, decorates the reception area to create a welcoming and uplifting environment, and brings positive energy to every interaction.”

People like Mary are the exact people that LeadingAge Ohio seeks to promote and award in order to “shine a well-deserved spotlight on frontline, non-management team members who make a difference every single day. Mary embodies the mission of the Sisters of Charity through her caring presence and willingness to help others on and off the clock.

Shirley Dix, who regularly witnesses Mary Beth’s kindness, describes her as a “God-centered, joyful free spirit.” She notes that Mary Beth consistently anticipates the needs of Sisters and coworkers, always ready to lend a helping hand or listening ear.

When she was first employed in Mother Margaret Hall as a CNA in 1998, Mary Beth didn’t anticipate spending the next 28 years of her career on campus. The Sisters, however, are the reason she stayed. “I liked the way they managed their business, and I liked working for a religious organization,” she said. Her shared faith with the Sisters of Charity helped build impactful bonds that she couldn’t see herself letting go of.

In 2020, Mary Beth transitioned to her current receptionist role following a foot injury that limited her mobility. However, in the past six years, she has been more active on campus than ever—planning food and school drives and helping employees in need through raising money and creating raffles for Adopt-a-Family, even bringing new dolphin puzzles to S. Shirley each time she notices that S. Shirley is almost finished with the previous one.

Mary Beth said that receiving this honor encourages her to keep going. She explained, “There’s a biblical verse that says ‘never get weary of well-doing.’ It encourages me to keep going, to keep helping. That’s what my mission is. I’m finally figuring that out at 60 years old!”

Considering all of the individuals she serves and works alongside that have made receiving this honor possible, Mary went on to say, “It meant the world to me. I’m the type of person that likes to be on the back-burner, to be the back-up singer. I don’t need to be in the limelight, but it meant the world to me that they thought that much of me. It was very uplifting.”

For S. Shirley, the honor is a fitting tribute to someone who spends so much of her time uplifting others.

“She’s the epitome of what our mission stands for,” S. Shirley said. “Charity and love—she embodies it all.”

Mary Beth Thomas (right) has spent the past 28 years sharing her generous spirit and compassionate care with the Sisters of Charity she serves.

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