Mariana. Mommy. Mama. Mom. How blessed we are to have had you as our mother and matriarch. How blessed we were to be able to surround you with love and hold you as you took your last breath, peacefully traveling on to your next magical adventure. And, now, how blessed we are to have you as our angel. You were love and support personified. You were our backbone. You wrangled this family of artists and dreamers with strength and patience as you provided us with a grounded structure to our sometimes irresponsible whimsy. You loved us fiercely, but somehow had enough love left in you to love all our chosen family, extended family, and all the children you worked with over your years as a social worker in the foster care system. Your giggling, infectious laughter could fill any room, and there wasn’t a stranger you couldn’t charm. You deserved a long life of exploration and new discoveries, but alas, Alzheimer’s had other plans. What a cruel, devastating disease. It robbed us of you, but, more than that, it robbed YOU of you. As sad as we all are that you’re no longer here with us, we are so happy that you’re free from the confines of that disease-riddled brain and body. There’s a hole in our world now, but we’ll just have to grow around it, because it’s impossible to fill. Let’s do everything we can to find a cure for this horrible disease. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. Endalz.com, in honor of Mariana Thoms. We love you, Mommy. We trust that your sister, Sandra, your mother Ida, and your father, Curtis all welcomed you with open arms in the Great Beyond, and that it was a glorious reunion. We’ll take care of dad down here. Keep it spicy for us up there, and we’ll see you when we get there. ❤️🕊️