Alyce Joyce Byrom Thompson, age 96, died peacefully on June 21, 2024, at her home in Hobbs, New Mexico - having just celebrated her 96th birthday with her children and many friends and church members who dropped by. She was born June 11, 1928, in Brownwood, Texas to William Kenyon Byrom and Frankie Cravens Byrom. She is remembered for her deep love for her family, her community, and her church.
Joyce's early years were a whirlwind of following the oil fields in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. After living in Jal and Carlsbad, the family moved to Eunice where Joyce started third grade. The family often heard stories about the time when she was 8 years old when her father took her down into Carlsbad Caverns using lanterns to guide them and climbing on ladders through the different levels of the caverns. Joyce continued her schooling in Eunice until moving to Hobbs for her high school years. She met many of her life-long friends during high school in Hobbs, including her future husband, Leon Thompson.
In the Fall of 1946, Joyce enrolled at nearby Texas Technological College in Lubbock, Texas, where she majored in English, and minored in Spanish, and was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She fondly remembered her studies in Mexico City with Texas Tech's study abroad program her junior year, where she had so much fun that she barely passed her classes. Despite her many adventures in Mexico City, Joyce managed to graduate with honors from Tech and was invited to be a member of Mortar Board Senior Honor Society.
Although Joyce knew Leon at Hobbs High School, it wasn't until he returned from his two-year service with the 82nd Airborne Division at the end of WW II and enrolled at Texas Tech - that they became reacquainted, and soon became engaged. The semester before they married, Joyce lived in an upstairs apartment on Broadway in Lubbock with several other girls. Joyce recalled that the house was filled with singing and dancing in an empty room with a piano. Along with Joyce, the girls loved when Leon came to visit. Joyce and Leon married on December 26, 1950 at the First United Methodist Church of Hobbs, beginning a loving 69-year marriage that ended with Leon's passing in 2020.
Joyce first taught 6th grade in Lubbock, Texas at McWhorter Elementary School while Leon was completing his degree at Tech. She continued teaching another year after moving to Hobbs. Once she and Leon started their family, Joyce's life was filled with Brownies, Cub Scouts, PTA, piano recitals, football and basketball games. She was also active in the community, helping start Patio Garden Club in 1963 and belonging to Literary Club. Joyce was an active member of the Southwest Symphony Board, the Hobbs Public Library Board, and lay advisor to the Hobbs School Board.
Joyce loved her church. As a member of the First United Methodist Church for 74 years, Joyce served her church teaching kindergarten Sunday School for 30 years and managing the flowers for the sanctuary well into her nineties. Along with Joyce and Leon, two of their three children were married in the church, and one grandchild, Erin, was christened in the First United Methodist Church.
Family meant everything to Joyce. At one time 25 members of the Thompson, Byrom and Wasson families lived in Hobbs. The families gathered for many Christmases and other holidays and special events. Over the years, the house was always filled with food-especially Joyce's sugar cookies, family, and fun.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and his parents, Leon's brother Charlie Thompson, Leon's sister Pat Wasson, and her dear nephew Graham Byrom. Joyce is survived by her three children: Dr. Bill Thompson and his wife Christine and their granddaughter Baileigh Culpepper, daughter Mary Joyce Thompson Jones and her husband Russell, and Dr. Robert Thompson and his wife Tracy. She is also survived by five grandchildren with whom she stayed in close contact through the years on her iPhone by texts and phone calls: Dr. Jennifer Thompson Burke and her husband Cedric, Mary Leilani Thompson, William Jones, Emma Joyce Jones Gregory and her husband John, and Erin Thompson and her fiancé Zach Panzarella.
She is also survived by her brother Tack Byrom and his wife Carole and many nieces and nephews. The family is grateful for the loving care given to Joyce by Rosa Villegas and her family, and the love, support and care given by Benita, Sara, Veronica and Yazcely, and the Gentiva Hospice Team.
Memorials may be made in Joyce Thompson’s memory to the Hobbs Public Library 509 North Shipp St, Hobbs, NM 88240.
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