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Marsha Thomas, 1951-2016
The following article appeared in the February 17, 2017 edition of the Cumberland Times-News.
Dapper Dan Club to honor the late Marsha Thomas
CUMBERLAND — The Dapper Dan Club will honor the late Marsha Thomas with the 2016 Henrietta Schwarzenbach Memorial Award for Civic Service at its banquet to be held Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. in the Ali Ghan Shrine Club ballroom.
Thomas served as coordinator of the annual Cumberland Halloween Parade and was a huge advocate for Cumberland, especially South Cumberland. She also organized and coordinated the VJ Day Parade held in downtown Cumberland in 2000 and assisted the late Kim Shirer in coordinating the National Road Bicentennial Parade held in May 2011. Thomas was on the planning committee for the Fort Hill High School 75th reunion held in 2012.
She was also active in the former South Cumberland Parish of United Methodist Churches, coordinating many United Methodist Day celebrations held in Smith Park in South Cumberland. Her involvement with the South Cumberland Business and Civic Association Halloween Parade dates back to the early 1970s. She assisted the late James Scarpelli Sr., Dr G. Overton Himmelwright, Guy Smith and George Stevenson before becoming chairwoman for the parade in 1991. She served as parade marshal for the 50th anniversary of the parade in 1999. Thomas was involved with the Halloween parade for 46 years, serving as a mummers judge and division captain before becoming chairwoman.
The association voted to rename the parade the Marsha L. Thomas Memorial Halloween Parade, so her passion and dedication for the parade would never be forgotten. Her legacy will live on as her son, Sean, and daughter-in-law, Kristie, will serve as parade co-coordinators going forward.