Maria S. Thomas (Fats), 56 of Chicago Il., formerly of Boston, Ma., died April 26th, 2015, with her loving spouse by her side in Boston, Ma. A memorial luncheon will be held in Chicago Il. on May 16th, 2015. Time and location TBD. She was born January 6, 1959, in Boston, Ma to Joseph and Selina Thomas. Her father was a Navy man from Pottstown, Pa. Her mother hailed from the Cape and began a fulfilling career in nursing. The two met and started their family in the Boston area. Maria was one of 9 children. She was a trustworthy gal who never ran into trouble with the law or fell victim to drug addiction. She was a pillar of morality, manners and values. As a single mom she managed to effectively pass these attributes on to to her two children. She attended several courses after high school. She served the public in the streets of Boston as a fearless EMT and thrived in the fast paced world as an emergency room technician. She worked long shifts (often doubles). She had a great work ethic because she really loved what she did and the people she worked with. After both of her daughters graduated high school, Maria followed her heart and moved to Chicago Il. She spent the next 11 years in a committed relationship with Linda Williamson and the two ultimately married. She was an active member of the US Armed Forces. She served in the Army from 1976 to approx.1983. As a person, she was adventurous at times but still a home body at heart. She enjoyed watching football, boxing and most sports. She enjoyed playing tennis, softball and basketball as a young woman and won many trophies for sports in high school. She was a very talented and promising athlete. She adapted well to technology. She enjoyed using her Ipad and keeping up with pop culture. I think everyone she met would say she was happiest when she was just hanging out and pondering life with good friends. She was also a strong advocate for women's rights against domestic violence and was a soft hearted animal lover. Maria's doctors discovered advanced tumors in 2012 and she underwent major surgery that greatly altered her lifestyle. The drastic change was not always easy to manage. While she was initially expected to live a mere month, her family was blessed with nearly three more years with her. She was just that strong of a person. That is our beloved Maria through and through. Strength personified. Maria was survived by her partner Linda Williamson; 2 sisters Selina and Coreen Thomas; 2 brothers Michael and George Thomas; daughter Cherokee Selina Linda Thomas; daughter and son-in-law Selina and Rick Fagioli; Stepdaughter and son-in-law Selena and Hamad Choudhary; 5 grandchildren Victoria, Vincent, Olivia, Memo, and Tobias. She is preceded in death by her mother Selina Thomas; her twin sister Apache (Skinny) Thomas; and her 3 brothers Bradley, David and Butch Thomas.