Joyce Thomson

Published 9:58 am Thursday, May 21, 2020

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, Joyce Thomson, beloved wife and mother of four sons, passed away peacefully at her home in Washington Crossing, Penn.

Joyce was born in Atmore in 1941 to Willard and Viana Johnson and resided in Atmore until the family moved to Decatur in 1959.

She graduated from Decatur High School in 1960 and shortly after moved to Pensacola, Fla., where she met Peter Thomson, her husband of 54 years.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

They married in Pensacola in 1967. Joyce gave birth to four sons while living in Connecticut, later moving to Bucks County in 1989, where she lived until her passing.

She was an unfailingly kind and gentle spirit, always ready with a word of empathy when needed by family or friends. She had an especially soft spot for children, and after her sons had grown, worked for over a decade as a childcare provider at a nursery school and privately to local families. In both her roles as mother and childcare provider, she taught children the joy of learning and the value of compassion.

As a spouse, she was as devoted to Peter as he was to her. The couple passed countless happy hours together over the course of their marriage, often in the company of their much-adored dog Lexi. Joyce and Peter especially enjoyed grandchildren, gardening and travel together.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Willard and Viana Johnson, as well as her sister, Doris (Wesley) Steadham and brothers, Amos and Willard. 

She is survived by her husband, Peter; and four sons, John (Kim), Brian, Roger (Angie) and Scott (Amy); as well as her grandchildren, Meg, Aiya, Chloe, Ginger and Zachary. She is also survived by her siblings Bobby Johnson, Loyce (Weldie) Donald, Laura (Greg) Napps and Billy (Elaine) Johnson.

Due to the current COVID 19 Pandemic, funeral services were held privately on May 18, at FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home, on Delaware Avenue, Yardley, Penn., followed by interment at Washington Crossing National Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Heart Association in Joyce’s name.

Please visit Joyce’s memorial at FitzGerald-Sommer website to leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection and post photographs of her life.