Joycelyn "Joyce" Thompson

Joycelyn Arlene Thompson, 91, of Alexandria, MN, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on January 4, 2026. Joyce was a people person. She was warm, kind, and friendly to everyone she met. She was known for her great sense of humor and wit, and she loved to laugh. Joyce deeply and unconditionally loved her family and cherished her close friendships. She was eternally optimistic and valued her social connections and the communities she belonged to.

Born December 1, 1934, in New Rockford, ND, Joyce was the firstborn of Gordon and Audrey Duenow’s four children, “big sis” to Vern, Ardy, and Morry. In 1946, the family moved to Alexandria, where Joyce attended high school (class of ‘53) and met Dan Thompson, the love of her life. As a new kid and athlete at school, Dan had the attention of many of the girls. Joyce summoned the courage to ask “the good-looking basketball player” to the Sadie Hawkins dance in 1952 — and the rest is history.

Joyce and Dan married on April 7, 1957, in Alex. They were married for 57 years and proudly proclaimed “together for 62 years.” They raised four children: Julie, Jill, Kent, and Jenny. In her early years, Joyce taught Sunday School at the First Congregational UCC, and she was involved in the Alex Fire Department's (AFD) Auxiliary group when Dan served as a fireman. She made lifelong friends with those she met through the AFD, and she was part of the “Old Flames” group in her later years, enjoying friendships she cherished to her final days.

After leaving Alex for a period due to Dan’s career, Joyce and Dan returned to their beloved home community, retiring on Lake Cowdry where they lived for 22 years. They loved the area lakes, having enjoyed Joyce’s family cabin on Lake Darling for more than 30 years prior. The lake, time with family and friends, plants, flowers, shopping, home decorating, and traveling, especially to Florida in the winter to visit family and soak up the sun, were Joyce’s favorite pastimes. Music was also important to her. She loved to sing and was part of multiple church choirs over the years. In her later years, Joyce loved being part of the Lutheran Social Services Senior Companion program, which enriched her quality of life greatly. She looked forward to her weekly visits and outings with her special friend she met through this program, a friendship that grew over a decade. She was able to continue her passion for pontooning with family trips and through outings with Let’s Go Fishing.

Joyce was preceded in death by husband Dan; her parents and parents-in-law; brother; sister; brothers- and sisters-in-law; niece; grandson; great-granddaughter; other relatives; and cherished friends.

Joyce is survived by her children: Julie (Steve) Morgan, St. Cloud; Jill (Diana Kennedy) Thompson, Alexandria; Kent (Debbie) Thompson, Foreston; and Jenny Thompson, Portland, OR; grandchildren Leah Zach (Travis Kopp), Liza (Mark) Rudel, Kelsey Bennett, and Sam and Grace Thompson; great-grandchildren Gabrielle and Chloe Towle; brother Morry Duenow, St. Augustine, FL; other relatives; and close friends.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, January 23, at 2:00 PM at Shalom Lutheran Church, with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be in Kinkead Cemetery; Urn bearers will be Joyce’s grandchildren; honorary urn bearers will be Joyce’s great-granddaughters. Music by brother Morris Duenow.

Memorials are preferred, in lieu of flowers, to Shalom Lutheran Church in Alex. Joyce’s family expresses their sincerest gratitude for the dedication and kindness of the care teams at Nelson Gables and Vivie Hospice of Alex.  To live stream Joyce's service go to Shalom Church Facebook page.