JoAnn Thompson Jones had a servant’s heart and loved helping people. She acted selflessly and without fanfare, eschewing recognition.
She was always up for an adventure, especially if it meant traveling to new places. Most of all, she loved her family and friends dearly.
Early in her career, JoAnn lived and worked in Fairbanks. She joked that when she went to Glory, she wanted to be laid out on an iceberg and float into the Great Beyond.
She thought that would be “peachy,” just like her.
JoAnn was born April 4, 1941, in Pampa, Texas, to Fred and Clotille Thompson. A 1959 graduate of Pampa High School, JoAnn received her bachelors degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio (1965) and a Master of Education degree from West Texas State University (1984).
JoAnn began her career with Pampa Independent School District in 1977, where she taught World History, led the Gifted and Talented program, and was a high school counselor. She retired in 2003 as the Director of Secondary Curriculum.
A longtime member of Pampa’s First Baptist Church, she was active in multiple ministries. She served Pampa on numerous boards, including the White Deer Land Museum Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, and Good Samaritan Christian Services. She also volunteered at Pampa Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Pampa Senior Citizens Center, and Snak-Pak-4-Kids.
JoAnn went to Glory (sans iceberg) on February 19, 2022. She is survived by her daughter, ChristieDemetriades; by her son, Jeff Jones; by their spouses; by 12 grandchildren; by 4 great grandchildren; and, by a host of devoted friends who miss her terribly.
JoAnn had a deep and abiding respect for education and valued it greatly. She shared both the anticipation and the excitement of those striving to better themselves through education. This endowed scholarship embodies JoAnn’s spirit of giving and her genuine desire to see others succeed by helping Wayland students at the Anchorage and Fairbanks campuses.
