<bt>Suzy Thomas, 88, a Reston resident for more than a decade, died March 22 at Columbia Reston Hospital. Services took place March 26 at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Reston.
Born Gertrude Havemeyer in Chicago, Ill., Thomas counted among her American forebears founders of the city of Chicago and the founder of the Girl Scouts in the United States. Her Danish heritage included developers of the sugar industry in the Virgin Islands.
Thomas was educated at the Chicago Art Institute, and worked for 10 years at Marshall Field's department store, where she handled much of its publications art and production, including work for "Fashions of the Hour," the store's national quarterly. During that period she was recognized as one of America's emerging young professional women by Mademoiselle magazine.
THOMAS MARRIED the late Ralph Blake Thomas in 1937 and the couple came to the Washington area in 1955. She hosted 20 national conventions and trade shows for her husband, who was executive director of a major national association.
For more than a decade, Thomas' services, often as a volunteer, were divided between chairmanships of hospitality and volunteer committees for the Washington International Center, and direction of volunteer staffing for the Department of State. Her work focused on functions with the Agency for International Development and foreign embassies for visiting scholars under Fulbright Grants, the Foreign Military Visitors program, and visiting foreign trade and cultural programs.
As a volunteer, she worked with the American Field Service, arranging programs and the reception and placements of visitors. She served as a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader and was active in church, civic, and theater groups.
AFTER HER CHILDREN became adults, Thomas returned to the workforce. She represented a Chicago firm organizing promotional programs and developing direct sales outlets throughout the nation.
Thomas spent more than a decade employed by the American Institute of Architects, responsible for production of its varied publications. Her contributions to its magazine earned her national recognition, including three major awards in one year.
After Thomas retired a second time more than 18 years ago, she volunteered each Thanksgiving Day as an aide at Martha's Table. She also continued a regime of travel that took her worldwide.
While in Reston, Thomas was a volunteer at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, at FISH, and at the Reston Museum, where her whimsical yet sophisticated ceramics were possibly the most popular items marketed in its crafts section. Most of these came out of her membership in the Reston-Herndon Senior Center at the Herndon Community Center.
Survivors include three children, Suzy Thomas-Klein of Reston, Blake Thomas of Ashton, Md., and John Thomas of Miami, Fla.; seven grandchildren, Casey Klein of Reston, Megan Hollister of Potomac Falls, Colin Thomas of Damascus, Md., Erin Haverman of Olney, Md., Kinsey Thomas of Chicago, Gillian Thomas of Mechanic Falls, Maine; a step-granddaughter; six great-grandchildren and other relatives.
Memorials may be sent to the Liver Transplant Program, Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA 22042-3300.