Sunrise, October 24, 1941   ​​Sunset, April 8, 2024
Bessie Mae Fuller Thomas peacefully departed this life and entered her eternal rest on Monday evening, April 8, 2024, at the age of 82 with her loving daughter by her side. Bessie was born on October 24, 1941 in Rochelle, Georgia to her parents Amos and Mattie Fuller.

Bessie was a graduate of Willow Run High School. In 1974 she earned a nursing degree from the College of St. Scholastica and went on to receive a Master's Degree in counseling from Ball State University in 1978.

Her greatest professional moment was becoming the Director of Nursing at the largest state psychiatric facility in Michigan, Northville Psychiatric Hospital. She retired from the State of Michigan and went on to work for the University of Michigan School of Nursing as a lecturer for third-year nursing students as well as second-career nursing students. With her kind and patient demeanor, helping others came easy to her.

There were many places that Bessie called home throughout her life. These include Ypsilanti, MI; Plattsburgh, NY; Madrid, Spain; Grand Forks, ND; Duluth, MN; Anchorage, AK and Columbus, OH.

Traveling was a passion of Bessie's and she collected cookbooks from everywhere she went. While living in Spain she traveled around Europe and northern Africa. In later years she visited China, Thailand, South America and Mexico. Her favorite place to visit was Spain, however, she was happy to go anywhere that had a casino!

Bessie is survived by her Beloved daughter, April, her siblings Patricia Jefferson, Richard (Ruth) Fuller, Edward (Tamara) Fuller; several nieces, nephews and a host of special friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents Amos and Mattie Fuller; her siblings Rudolph, Marvin, Andrew, and Annette Fuller, Shelby Johnston and brother-in-law Harold Jefferson. An 11 am funeral service will be held on Friday, April 19, 2024 at Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church, located at 983 E. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48198. Family hour will be from 10 am until time of service. Reverend Larry Davis will be officiating. A repass will follow at the church.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 4 pm until 8 pm at Stark Funeral Professionals located at 101 S. Washington, Ypsilanti, MI.

A burial of her cremated remains at United Memorial Gardens will take place at a later date.