Joyce Elaine Thompson, 82, of LaPorte, went to heaven Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, at Porter Portage Hospital Campus after a short illness.
She was born prematurely Aug. 9, 1932, in LaPorte to Clemens S. Levendoski and Luella P. Fritz.
Joyce was a homemaker and farmer’s wife, and had also worked for Mitchell Chevrolet for five years. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, attended Door Village School and graduated in 1950 from LaPorte High School. She took every music class while at LPHS and played piano and accordion in Dean Schmidt’s Band for 25 years. Joyce was a member of the New Durham Township Home Extension Club, New Durham Township Farm Bureau, Pinola Grange, Over 40s Dance Club, and American Federation of Musicians. She was baptized, confirmed and married at St. Paul United Church of Christ. Joyce loved to decorate for the holidays; spending time with her grandchildren; shopping, entertaining and traveling, as she did every winter to Florida for the past 28 years in their motor home; and spending summer weekends at the Lake Shafer cottage for many years.
On Dec. 12, 1953, she married George Thompson, her husband of 61 years, who survives.
Also surviving are her children, Julie (Robert) Goetz of Westville, IN, Garry (Sandra) Thompson of LaPorte and Jill (Joseph) Ellis of LaPorte; grandchildren, Zachary Thompson, Samuel Thompson, Todd Ellis, Brittney Ellis, Jamie Ellis, and Jacob Ellis; and great-granddaughter, Haley Perry Ellis.
Her brother, Stephen Levendoski, died shortly after birth.
Visitation will be held at Essling Funeral Home, LaPorte, on Sunday, Jan. 25, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church, LaPorte, at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26, where friends may visit one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in Pinhook Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, 102 G St., LaPorte, IN 46350; or Westville Lions Club, P.O. Box 916, Westville, IN 46391.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.