Joella Thompson

JoElla Thompson former resident of Ponca City, passed May 4, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was 80 years of age.

JoElla was born March 13, 1931 in Higgins, Texas, the daughter of Fred E. Brown and Lottie Mae Pittendrigh Brown. She grew up in Shattuck, Oklahoma and attended high school there where she met a handsome young man, Orville E. Thompson. JoElla and Orville were married on August 10, 1950 in Woodward, Oklahoma.

In 1959 the family moved to Milan, New Mexico, where they raised four children. In Milan JoElla was busy raising their 4 children and a very active member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. After Orville retired, he and JoElla moved back to Ponca City in 1982. In Ponca City, JoElla loved to dance. She and Orville danced 3 to 4 times a week at different locations around Ponca City. JoElla also enjoyed doing volunteer work and delivering meals on wheels. She was an active member of the First Lutheran Church and the Wheatheart Senior Citizens Center. She worked as a crossing guard for over 20 years for Washington Elementary School. JoElla loved the Lord and lived to serve her family and anyone else in need. In March 2006, JoElla and Orville moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico due to long term illness.

She is survived by her three children, Gary Thompson and wife, Gail, of Ponca City, JoAnn Schuette and her husband, Robert, of Pahrump, Nevada, and Carolyn Lujan and husband, Phillip, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico 5 grandchildren, Rhonda Grinnell and husband, Curt, Jessica Bollinger and husband, Chris, Vanessa Burgess and husband, Brandon, Joshua Thompson and Janelle Thompson 6 great grandchildren, Christopher and Jordan Byrd, Owen and Autumn Burgess, Kamiya Thompson and Abigail Bollinger two brothers, Leroy Brown and Jimmie Brown one sister, Evelyn Ford.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Orville E. Thompson one son, Bobby E. Thompson one brother J.C. Brown and one grandson, Orville E. Schuette.

A visitation for family and friends will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 9, 2011 at Grace Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the First Lutheran Church with Pastor Tom Ramsey presiding. Interment will be in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Casket bearers will be Joshua Thompson, Jordan Byrd, Wade Bolling, Fred Brown, Paul Brown and Hank Brown. Honorary casket bearers will be Curt Grinnell, Brandon Burgess, Chris Bollinger, Lyle Brown, Ricky Brown and Darrell Brown.