“I grew up in Jamaica, and it was a beautiful time of my life. My parents were very loving. My mother wanted a girly girl, a little princess. But I was a tomboy. Although my father spoiled me, my mother made sure not to. She would not let the nanny make the bed, fold my clothes, or clean my room.
I did not initially want to be married. When I was 17, my mother was worried that I would get into trouble with boys. “You will like it,” my mother said. I told her, “I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t even have a boyfriend.” Looking back, I think she was right. I think my happiest moments were when I was married to my husband Lloyd. He was a wonderful person and I did not know we would become such good friends.
His mother and my mother shared a business; they ran a restaurant. Lloyd’s mother had six boys and five girls, and our mothers decided I would marry the third son. They planned everything. However, they didn’t plan the wedding dress. I did. At the time, all brides wanted to have a dress like Queen Elizabeth’s. And I got it. Jamaica had the best couturier from France, so we had the right materials, embroidered the same way, just like the Queen’s. My hair was down to my waist. The wedding was at the big cotillion in Kingston. There was live music and so much dancing.
What attracted me to Thetford was a quiet life. I respect all people and hope to get respect from them. I don’t trouble anybody. Within three months of moving here, everyone knew who I was. Not by my name, but what I wore to go to church every Sunday. I have quite the hat and shoe collection. When I moved here, I was size 12. Within one month, I went up to a size 20. Everyone had a basement where they would cook and ask me to try their dishes every Sunday. There wasn’t anything I tried that didn’t taste good.”
– Gloria Thomas, Norwich, VT
We would like to note that this interview was done shortly before Gloria passed away. We wanted to post this as a celebration of her life.
