Thelma Thomas Beauty Parlor
Known Name(s)
Thelma Thomas Beauty Parlor
Address
Warwick Blvd. Lawnside, NJ (Primary) (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955)210 Warwick Road Lawnside, NJ (Modern Address)
Establishment Type(s)
Beauty Parlor
Physical Status
Extant
Detailed History
Thelma Elizabeth Adams Thomas and her mother, Lourinda Adams, ran a successful beauty parlor at the family home, 210 Warwick Road. In 1949 they earned $700. The Adams home, owned by Mayor James Victor Adams of Lawnside, was valued at $2500 in 1940.
Lourinda Adams, a skilled beautician and the wife of Mayor James Victor Adams, played a pivotal role as a community worker and devoted foster mom. Her bustling home, a hub of community engagement and foster care responsibilities, faced challenges with wait times due to its dynamic activities. In her capacity as the mayor's wife, Lourinda actively engaged in community work, notably serving on the Christmas fund committee. Together with her husband, they orchestrated holiday festivities for 200 Lawnside children, culminating in the joyful decoration of a grand 20-foot Christmas tree. Tragically, Thelma Elizabeth Adams Thomas passed away at the age of 49. As a psychiatric technician supervisor at Ancora State Hospital and a member of the Chapel of the Annunciation, Thelma left behind a son, Fred Thomas, a daughter, Mrs. Joyce Minor, and a grandchild. Her funeral, held at the Chapel of the Annunciation, concluded with her burial at Sunset Cemetery in Pennsauken, NJ. Lourinda Adams, the family matriarch, departed in February 1962, leaving behind a lasting legacy of community service and familial love.
