Joy Thompson, age 81, of Byars passed into heaven on September 17, 2023.

Joy Faye Thompson was born on January 13, 1942 in Seminole, Oklahoma, the oldest of three children born to Elmer F. Pease and Nadine M. (Frasher) Pease.

Throughout her younger years the Pease family lived in several Oklahoma towns including Seminole, Oklahoma City, Ada, Antlers and Pauls Valley. Joy graduated with the Panther class of 1960 from Pauls Valley High School. In the fall of that same year, she started attending Oklahoma State University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Immediately following graduation in 1964, she began her teaching career at Oklahoma City Public Schools.

A little while later she was introduced to a young man named Warren Butler Thompson, through a mutual friend. The two quickly fell in love and were married in 1967 and they made their home in Byars, Oklahoma. Together they raised their two sons, Brent and Darren.

She set aside her teaching career to be a homemaker and help manage their ranch, later returning to the classroom when her boys started college. She taught until retirement at Byars, where she positively impacted the lives of so many of her students.

Joy was such a compassionate person that truly had a positive impact on everyone that knew her. She was very involved in the lives of her family, from parent organizations to attending ball games for her sons, nieces and grandchildren. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and truly cherished every moment with them. She enjoyed puzzles, reading, studying her bible and particularly loved watching OSU Cowboy sports and Thunder basketball. She loved being part of her community.

She attended Byars Baptist Church where she was very active and touched many lives.

She adopted Byars as her home and she was so proud of the town's history. She assumed the role of historian and along with Warren and many others, organized the Byars Centennial celebration.

She was such a giving person, a great listener and a cheerleader for everyone. More than anything she enjoyed spending time with her family. She loved to cook for them as they celebrated holidays and birthdays. She was famous in the family for her beef stroganoff but could pull off any meal of any size and make it seem easy. Joy was the center of her family and had a strong faith in God. Her love for everyone was intentional and genuine. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and a true friend to so many. She will be dearly missed!

She was preceded in death by; her parents, Elmer and Nadine Pease; sister Judy Wurst and daughter-in-law Michelle Thompson.

Joy is survived by; her loving husband, Warren Thompson of the home; her sons, Brent Thompson of Shawnee and Darren Thompson and wife Shawna of Shawnee; brother Jim Pease and wife Freda of Byars; four grandchildren, Jacob Thompson of Byars, Kaitlyn and Ross Roark of Ft. Worth, TX; Abbey Thompson of Tulsa and Colby Thompson of Shawnee; nieces Natalie and Tasha Pease of Wynnewood and Jennifer and Rick Seeker of Dallas, TX; lifelong like-a-daughter, Marie Stephens of Broken Arrow and a host of other extended family and friends.

Funeral Services are scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Thursday, September 21, 2023 at Little’s Chapel. Burial will follow at Byars Cemetery.