Ida May (Holly) Thomas died peacefully at the Henrietta Brewer House in Vineyard Haven on Jan. 31 at the age of 88.

She was born and brought up in Boston, the daughter of Anna and Arthur Hollis. She was a 1943 graduate of Bates College. It was there that she met her future husband Edward (Ted) Thomas.

She worked in several secretarial positions during World War II and married Ted in 1946, after his discharge from the army after serving in Europe. At the time of her death they had been married 63 years. The couple had three children and lived in East Greenwich, R.I. for 15 years. In 1964 the family moved to the Vineyard. The following year Holly started working at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in the administrative office.

Upon retirement Holly and Ted took the first of three cruises in their sailboat the Sabrina to Florida for the winter. After their first cruise Holly trained to be a certified home health aide for the Vineyard Nursing Association where she worked for 20 years. During her leisure time Holly and Ted enjoyed sailing and traveling, which they did on small cruise ships in Europe, the Caribbean and the U.S.

She is survived by her husband, Ted Thomas of Vineyard Haven; daughter Nancy Monckton and her husband Richard of Cheyenne, Wyo.; Roger Thomas and his wife Judy of Oak Bluffs and Carl Thomas of Walkersville, Md.; grandchildren Adrienne Monckton, Jesse and Sarah Thomas, Rachel, Savannah and Haven Thomas.

Donations in her memory may be made to Vineyard Nursing Association, P.O. Box 399, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.