Mary H. Thomas, 76, of Newtown died July 1 after battling ill health for several years.regionalhospicect.org.

Mrs Thomas was born May 3, 1940, in New York City, but was raised in Darien. She attended the Chatham Hall School in Virginia and Bennett Jr College in Middlebrook, N.Y.

After college, she moved back to Darien to raise her family. She taught at the Noroton After School and the Darien Pre-School Programs.

Mrs Thomas loved animals and upon retirement moved with her husband, William R. Thomas IV, to Withering Heights Farm in Newtown. They raised goats and chickens. She was also devoted to her dogs, Lilly and Lolla.

She loved to play golf and, before moving to Newtown, was a member of Quaker Hill Country Club in Pawling, N.Y., and then a member of Newtown Country Club where she had a hole-in-one in 2001.

Mrs Thomas's beloved husband of 32 years, William "Dick" R. Thomas IV; her daughter Samantha Cochran of Orlando, Fla.; son James Kenyon on Norwalk; a grandson; four stepchildren; and eight step-grandchildren survive her. Her parents Elizabeth F. Given and James Howlett, as well as her first two husbands, James Kenyon and Anthony Wilson, predeceased her.

She did not wish for a funeral service. Contributions in her memory can be made to the Regional Hospice and Home Care, at 30 Milestone Road, Danbury CT 06810 or

The Honan Funeral Home of Newtown is serving the family.