Joyce Helen Thompson

Our mom Joyce went home to her Lord on March 6, 2026, surrounded by her four boys whom she loved with all her heart and soul, and her four boys loved her completely. She was born on July 25, 1936, to Edwin and Ina Enga in North Dakota.

Before passing, she endured years of physical challenges through which she soldiered on, displaying her toughness, grit, and indomitable dignity and spirit, earning deep respect from everyone who witnessed these difficulties.

Introduced to each other by mutual friends, Joyce and Donald married in December of 1958 in North Dakota. In 1959, they moved to Wyoming and started their family in 1960 with the birth of their first son, Ross. The other three sons followed in 1962 (Clark), 1965 (Darren), and 1967 (Kevin).

Through Ross, she has grandchildren Cameron Thompson and Sarah Tenorio (husband Quentin) and one great-grandchild, Desmond, all of Cheyenne. Of particular note, she was very thankful to have met Desmond shortly before passing, a moment that brought her tremendous joy.

Joyce and Donald constantly had their kids at the center of their lives. Summers were filled with baseball games played by all four boys, which kept them busy all over town—frequently on the same days and evenings.

When baseball games permitted, she went with her family on numerous camping and fishing trips to the Big Horns, where many times she would sleep in grungy canvas tents without complaint, as it meant she was spending time with her husband and four boys. She readily endured what other mothers maybe would not.

Away from all that there were family vacations, church, confirmations, school, and school functions, all the while fully supporting any and every interest her boys may have had.

Joyce was a homemaker of the highest order. She was a skilled seamstress and delighted in cross-stitching and knitting, the latter of which saw her create many splendid Afghans, sweaters, socks, and shawls. She loved to cook, and her family was the recipient of some of the best home-cooked meals anyone could hope for. Each evening, meals were a family affair as everyone surrounded the table with Mom and Dad at the head.

Each Christmas the house was filled with wonderful aromas as she baked lefse, krumkake, rosettes, divinity, melting moment cookies, fudge, butter brickle, and many others, including treats of her own creation.

Before physical difficulties set in, she was active in her church, Trinity Lutheran, in the Stephen Ministry and the quilting group.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, who went home to his Lord in 2018. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Clayton, and her sister, Ione.

Through her sister and her husband (Ione and Floyd Harshberger) she leaves behind a niece, Mary, and a nephew, Rob, both in North Dakota, and another nephew, David, in Arizona. Through her brother and his wife (Clayton and Janyce Enga), she leaves nephews Carter (Arizona), Darl (South Dakota), and Troy (North Dakota). Her sister-in-law Janyce is in North Dakota, and a brother-in-law Harold is also in North Dakota. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews on Donald’s side spread throughout the country.

A Service in Honor of Joyce’s Life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Thursday, March 19, 2026, starting at 1:00 PM, officiated by Reverend Anne Knighten, followed by a dessert reception.

Inurnment will take place in the Trinity Lutheran Columbarium.

Online condolences may be written at https://www.kanefuneral.com/
Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.