Mrs. Merrill Wright Thomas, 67, of Madison, MS passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. She was surrounded by family and friends. Merrill was born on October 29th, 1957, in Jackson, Mississippi to Garland Wright and the late Patricia Maier Lann. She was the oldest of five children. She grew up in Jackson, MS and attended Council 7 Hanging Moss where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. Merrill was a committed big sister and always had a love for children. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the Mississippi University for Women and graduated in 1979. While enrolled at MUW, she was president of her social club, the Revelers. Her first teaching job was at Tri-County Academy, and she remained there for nine years. She went on to teach at Rowan Middle School in Jackson, Mississippi for 25 years. While at Rowan, she was a soccer coach and a beloved science teacher who made an impact on many lives. She was a lifelong member of Broadmoor Baptist Church. While attending Broadmoor, she met Jeff Thomas. They married at Broadmoor in 1983 and remained married for 41 years. Together they had three children. After retirement, she enjoyed spending time with her six grandchildren who called her “Mimi.” Her family brought her great joy, and she always took pride in them. Her faith in the Lord and her dedication to serving others made her an inspiration to many. She was proceeded in death by her mother Patricia Maier Lann. She is survived by her father Garland Wright (Debbie), husband Jeff Thomas; son Damian Davis (Jasmine), son Greg Thomas (Sarah), daughter Kimberly Bell (Anthony); grandchildren Jacob, Ruby, Dru, Olivia, Jack, and Deuce; sisters Tracy Graves (Tommy), Tina Heggins (Paul), Laura Hutcheon (Mike), Stan Wright (Paige), and brother-in-law Kevin Thomas (Becky). There will be an evening visitation held at the Natchez Trace Funeral Home on Monday, November 25th, 2024, from 5:00-7:00pm and on Tuesday, November 26th, 2024, from 9:00-10:00am at Broadmoor Baptist Church. The Celebration of Life service will begin at 10:00am with an interment service to follow at Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery, 759 Hwy 51, Madison, MS 39110.