Karen "Mali" Thomas

Karen Maria “Mali” Thomas was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on January 28th, 1944 to parents William and Verna Beatty (née Rothell). Raised Christian Scientist, in a military family, her father’s return from service marked the beginning of a lifetime of travelling - from military bases in Texas, to Colorado, and then on to Oregon, eventually settling in Novato, California when Mali was 13. Falling in love with Northern California’s bay area, she grew up immersing herself in the arts, learning to paint and sew like a true craftsman, inspired by her love of French art and modern fashion of the era. She met her first husband by chance, striking up a conversation while lounging by a local pool. They wrote letters back and forth while Mali travelled to France, looking to continue her studies at Sorbonne University while finding work as an Au Pair to pay her way. Returning to the states, they started a family together, beginning another half decade of travel, her husband’s DJ career taking them from California, to Texas, all the way to sunny Hawaii - another place she would fall in love with. Blessed by the birth of two daughters, Amy, in 1967, and BonnyJean, in 1971, she returned to California to raise them with the help of her mother Verna in the early 70s. As her children grew up and moved away, Mali was determined to find new fulfillment, finding a passion for architecture and returning to school to complete her degree. She graduated with Dean’s Honors in 1999, quickly finding work at an architecture firm and even assisting with the design of the Sundial Bridge in Redding, California. 

Losing her own Mom in 2006, Mali sold her Santa Rosa home in favor of one in Sacramento, closer to her two daughters and grandson. The bigger backyard left room for more love, and she added two more babies to her life; her dogs, Lady and Casey. This was also the point at which she found her given name, Mali, meaning “calm, tranquil, or quiet” in Hawaiian. In Santa Rosa, she had been deeply involved with the Church of Christ Scientists, a practice she continued, not only bringing her family along to church events, but becoming herself a Christian Science Nurse Practitioner, dedicating her time to assisting those in need of support and faith healing. After her daughter Amy found a home in Michigan, she invited Mali along, giving her the opportunity to sell her house and finally retire from a lifetime of service to a cute home in Cheboygan…But Mali wasn’t done yet. In Cheboygan, she once again found herself ingratiated with the community, contributing not just to her church in Petoskey, but to a countless list of local organizations - from volunteering at the Library’s Book Nook, to Cheboygan Area Arts Council, to the Opera House, to Art Vision Cheboygan, and even painting a mural in Aloha State Park, entitled “Refreshed.” 

Throughout her life, she did everything she could to contribute to the world as Jesus would have wanted. Never taking a moment to rest, she helped everyone, from family, to fellow churchgoers, to seniors, those in recovery, kids in the neighborhood, and even the littlest animals, she seemed to have an endless capacity to contribute where she could. She is survived by her sister, Carmen Hassold, her daughters, Amy Thomas and BonnyJean Bowman, her grandson Trevor, and countless good friends.

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