Mabel Poteat Thomas

Mabel Poteat Thomas, 87 of Morganton, NC died peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at her daughter’s Charlotte home. Born in Morganton, she was the last surviving child of the late John Clayton Poteat and Della Mae Poteat. She was a 1941 graduate of Morganton High School. She and her husband, the late Perry Thomas, a Charlotte native, owned and operated for thirty-two years, Thomas Music Shop on Sterling St. For many years, she was an active member of First Baptist Church where she was a member of the Cauble Sunday School class. She was also a member of several bridge clubs and a home extension club. Mabel was a sweet, gracious, kind, and generous lady who will be fondly remembered by all who knew her. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Alfred and a sister, Elizabeth.Surviving to cherish her memory are her daughter, Rose Lynn Thomas Imbleau and her husband, Claude Marcel Imbleau, and her grandchildren, Austin Perry Imbleau and Spencer Claude Imbleau.A service to celebrate Mabel’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, April 30, 2012 in the chapel of the First Baptist Church with Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends in the church parlor for one hour before the service. Memorial gifts may be made to First Baptist Church or Huffman Bible Class, P. O. Drawer 459, Morganton, NC 28680, Burke Arts Council, 115 E. Meeting St., Morganton, NC 28655, or to the Catawba Valley Masonic Lodge #217, P. O. Box 215, Morganton, NC 28680 (of which her beloved husband, Perry was an active member for many years).The family expresses their sincere thanks to the following organizations and people for the outstanding care given to Mabel: C.M.C.-Pineville, Levine-Dickson Hospice, homecare providers of Care Haven Charlotte, LLC including Vina Pesaru, M.D., Sallie English, R.N., and nursing assistants, Tiffanie Clarida, Vicki Nave, Shirley Hailey, Julian, Henrietta Crosby, Elaine Hasty, and Lydia Wells, and caregivers from Morganton, Mildred Sheets and Tonya Benfield. Special thanks also in Mabel’s final years to Bob Lewe, Jr. who provided 1950’s and 1960’s era music which reminded her of the years spent at the music store and which gave her reason to smile. We will miss you "Mimi"!!