Mary Lou was born on December 2, 1922, to Lloyd and Sylvia Frick and along with brothers, Fred, Archie, and Donald, grew up on the family farm attending Vineland School and Kern County High School graduating in 1940. Mary Lou graduated from UC Berkeley and was a member of Sigma Kappa Sorority. After graduation, she and a sorority sister were featured in the San Francisco Chronicle when they joined the WAVES as part of the US Navy during World War II. She was trained to be a control tower operator and was stationed in Maui until the end of the war.In 1946, Mary Lou married Jack Thomson and in 1947 they started farming in the Buttonwillow area. They were blessed with four children: Jeff, Sylvia, Wendy and Tim. In 1957, the Thomson family moved into the adobe home Mary Lou's parents had built on the farm in the Vineland area. In addition to supporting Jack in his business and community functions, Mary Lou learned bookkeeping and kept the books for the family farm. Mary Lou and Jack were very involved with their children's activities and were community leaders of the Sunset 4-H Club for many years. Mary Lou was served as a room mother and later as a member of the Board of Trustees of Vineland School. Great believers in the University of California system, all four Thomson children followed their lead and graduated from a UC. In 1967, Mary Lou and Jack welcomed Jason, Julie and Stacey Peltier into the family when their mother, a cousin and dear friend, died. Mary Lou dropped most of her outside activities for several years to devote her time and energy into helping these children adapt to their new family and community.Of all her activities, the one Mary Lou did not drop and continued to enjoy until very recently was her bridge group. It started with other young women in the Buttonwillow area who all had moved there with their husbands following the end of World War II, and expanded over the years to include women from Bakersfield. Some of these women have been playing bridge together for nearly 70 years! In addition to the bridge group, Mary Lou and Jack were members of a Pot Luck group that met every month at each family's house. In later years they became members of The Clifford Associates Tennis Group and had many wonderful friends with whom they shared trips and good times. Hosting friends and family at their beach house near Carpinteria was one of their greatest delights. They traveled extensively for many years visiting every continent except Antarctica.Mary Lou and Jack were very involved in their community and continually worked to improve the lives of others. In addition to being community leaders of the Sunset 4-H club and Vineland School Trustees, they supported children's activities at Arvin High School and were strong UC Alumni members. Mary Lou served on the Board of Directors of the Bakersfield Museum of Art and continued to support it as a founding member of the Blue Ribbon Circle. She served as a Board Member of the Kern Community Foundation where she and Jack established their own family charitable foundation.Family was of most importance to Mary Lou and she was very proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her devoted husband of almost 70 years, Jack, her children, Jeff (Elaine) Thomson, Sylvia (Arnold Cattani), Wendy (Vince Hoss), and Tim (Jan) Thomson, Jason (Jean Mari) Peltier, Stacey and Julie Peltier. Her grandchildren include Karen, Annie, Jack (Hallie) Thomson, Nancy (Paul Anspach), Katie Cattani (Chad DeRose), Emmy Cattani (Robert Stevenson), Laura Cattani, Theodore and Christopher Hoss, Jill and Matt Thomson, Kristin (John Stipicevic), Joe and Jean Claire Peltier. Great-grandchildren include Jack Clinton, Laighton and John Asher Thomson, Clinton and Brynn Anspach, Joaquin, Magdalena and Luciana DeRose and Lucy Stipicevic.Always a very strong and determined woman, Mary Lou overcame severe health challenges during the last few years with dignity and courage. With Jack's strong support and love, she was able to continue to enjoy her bridge games, attend family and community functions and spend many rewarding times at her beloved beach house. She is a great inspiration to all her family who will miss her very much.Burial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27, 2016, at Bakersfield National Cemetery, 30338 E. Bear Mountain Blvd, Arvin. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00a.m., Friday, October 28, 2016, at First Presbyterian Church, 1705 17th Street, Bakersfield. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Jack and Mary Lou Thomson Charitable Endowment c/o the Kern Community Foundation, 3300 Truxtun Ave, Suite 220, Bakersfield, CA 93301Doughty-Calhoun-O'Meara