An Extraordinary Life: Joliet woman was a ‘trailblazer’ in advocating for people with disabilities

Edna Brass knew about Artis Thompson before she actually met her.

So Edna was thrilled when she finally could work with Artis through Easterseals Joliet Region, which Artis had served for decades.

“She was ahead of her generation, maybe two, in terms of woman entrepreneurship, supporting Black-owned businesses and advocating for persons with disabilities,” Edna, who retired from Joliet Township High School District 204 as the director of special services, said in an email. “Her daughter Helen was her inspiration.”

Helen, who was born in 1954, has cerebral palsy. Artis made sure Helen had services through UCP-Center for Disability Services and then Easterseals Joliet Region.

“My mother was honored to take care of Helen every day, to make sure she was happy and things were right for her,” Robin Miller of Mokena, Artis’ daughter said. “Mom let Helen know that just because she was in a wheelchair, she should not limit herself.”

With her late husband, Peter Thompson, Artis opened the Will County’s first group home in 1985 under the Easterseals name from land Artis donated, Robin Miller said.

“Before the group home, my mom had individuals in her home,” Vanessa Shelby of Mokena, Artis’ daughter, said. “It was respite for kids who needed to get out of their home because they were being abused. They would go to Mom until [Catholic Charities] found a place for them to go.”

Artis also helped fundraise toward the construction of a 3,200-square-foot group home in 1991, now known as Thompson House, according to her obituary. Eventually, 12 group homes were opened. Artis served as the senior home coordinator, providing direct care and supervision to its residents.

“She wanted them [the residents] to have the same quality of life as Helen did: a loving environment with food, clothing celebrating birthdays,” Vanessa said. “And she wanted that home to be a place of peace, love and godliness.”

Even after Artis retired in 2014, she continued raising funds for Easterseals’ annual Celebration of Giving telethon and supported Easterseals’ wheelchair and adaptive seating clinic offered by Easterseals, according to her obituary.

Edna, who had joined Easterseals’ board of directors in 2013, was awed at meeting “trailblazing” Artis “in the flesh.” Edna said Artis became her confidante and “spiritual covering” and that they “connected in the spirit.”

“I was having some health challenges, but she seemed to know before I could even share with her,” Edna wrote. “Mother Artis knew my fears, my concerns, but she calmed those fears and she carried me through that season.”

Edna is certain Artis’ legacy will continue.

“Mother Thompson was a strong woman of faith,” Edna said. “So those she left behind, we carry on as she would expect, faithful and prayerful.”

‘Mother to many’

Robin said Artis moved from Indianola, Mississippi, to Joliet with her family when she was about 8 years old. Family was always close to Artis’ heart and Artis became a “mother to many.”

“We always had to share our mother with someone,” Robin said.

Denise Thompson of Joliet, another of Artis’ eight children, said if a family or individual were in need, Artis would rally family members to help while saving their dignity.

“We’d say, ‘Mom, what’ the family’s name, and she’d say, ‘Well, God didn’t tell me to tell you that but they need help.” And we would not question her,” Robin said.

Denise said Artis even brought a woman from a nursing home who wasn’t bathed regularly back to her own home each Sunday.

“We’d clean her up and take her back,” Denise said.

Robin recalled the many times Artis made her German chocolate cake or banana pudding and then stop her family from eating it because it was intended for someone in need. Artis loved inviting people into her home to enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or fried chicken, Robin added.

But Artis also helped people resolve their problems, her daughters agreed. They learned at Artis’ wake of one woman who, while going through a divorce, was planning to commit suicide – but she called Artis instead, Robin said.

Artis lent a listening ear to children and adults – and to parents whose children had were in trouble with the law and explained how to talk to lawyers. She believed in the value of hard work and service and taught her children to do likewise, they said. And Artis called every person she met “her favorite,” her daughters said.

“She was like a missionary in spreading the goodness of Jesus Christ,” Robin said. “She believed in deeds, in caring for others, as opposed to speaking her actions. … I guess she was like the Black Mother Teresa.”

Despite all of her outreach, Artis always had her priorities in place.

“She believed the foundation of everything was God and family,” Robin said. “She said, ‘If you have family, you have everything’ and ‘You have to put God as the leader and treat people the way you want to be treated.’”

Robin said her mother was the type of person who, if she were riding a plane and oxygen masks dropped, would put the mask on the other person first. But Artis also was a classy lady who loved her hats, her daughters said.

The most remarkable part about Artis’ life, her daughters said, is that she never stopped serving and never acted out of personal ambition.

“She was always raising money or doing something,” Robin said. “But she did it all for the glory of God.”

Artis was 82 when she died Aug. 1.

• To feature someone in “An Extraordinary Life,” contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.