Grace "Elaine" Thompson

Grace “Elaine” Thompson was a caring and compassionate wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She left this world peacefully on November 22, 2022, at the age of 77. 

She is survived by her husband of forty years, naval aviator, Lt. Cmdr. Russell Neil Thompson; her daughter, Wendy Lynne McKoy, a world traveling ICU nurse and her world traveling sommelier son, Richard Allen Thompson; one grandson, Rowan Miller; two sisters, Joyce (Merritt) Andrews, and Roberta (Floyd) Griffth. She is also survived by nieces and nephews: Barbara Burns, Mike (Michelle) Miller, Stephanie Miller, Sara Miller, Travis (Danielle) Miller, Shane (Rena) Miller, Jason Miller, Amber (Dillon) Miller, Shannon Miller, Cory Griffith (Sarita); Grand Nieces and Nephews: Christy, Lindsey, Katelyn, Akio, Paetyn, Micah, Troy, Madison, Riley, Aiden, Alexis, Lily, Kaitlyn, Colby, Collin, Annie and Abel. 

She was born to George Kenneth and Katherine Elizabeth Marbes on January 21, 1945.  She grew up in Syracuse and Camillus, New York. After graduating from West Genesee High School, she went on to graduate from Vermont College with her Associate’s Degree.

Her top priority in life was her relationship with her family and with her God. She was a faithful member of Alford Baptist Church where she served everyone when there was a need of food, companionship, friendship, trips to doctors and hospitals and sitting by those who grieve. She showed the love of Jesus through selflessly meeting the needs of others above her own needs. 

 In her youth, she loved to figure skate and swim. Elaine was a ballet and tap dancer as a child and teen. She and her husband, Russ, loved to dance. She was the life of the party that usually planned them and never met a person she didn’t like. Elaine had an uncanny ability for finding the good in people. At a young age, she was bitten by the travel bug and was full of wanderlust. She visited Africa, South America, Europe, The Caribbean, the Middle East and loved the entire US, especially Alaska and Hawaii. 

Elaine was a music and concert lover who played the piano and the violin. She also sang in several choirs and was a soloist. Mrs. Thompson attended the Monterey Pops Music Festival in 1967 in California and Woodstock in Saugerties, New York in 1969 while traveling in a converted milk truck camper.  

Elaine was very creative and designed her own home and gardens. She had a green thumb and grew many exotic plants and fruit trees. She was very fond of canning her own home-grown vegetables.

Elaine was very patriotic and loved America and its democratic process. She was very involved in politics and leadership roles and was a founder of the Jackson County Concerned American Patriots.

Elaine’s daughter wrote that her mom “had a heart of gold, a ready laugh, and a penchant for service. Everything she did in this lifetime, at every moment, was for others. She was a joy to be around, a living angel, and adored by everyone that ever met her. Elaine was a wonderful human, friend, co-worker, wife, sister, mother, and grandmother.”

She was the payroll specialist for Singer Corporation and handled the payroll for the entire country.  Elaine later applied for a job working in computers and convinced the company she knew how even though she had no computer experience. She became so successful that Elaine ended up being the director of East Coast Operations for the PeopleSoft Corporation.  Elaine was a true chocoholic and believed that there is no problem that can't be solved with a Dove Chocolate.

 Funeral services will be 1 P.M. Monday, November 28, 2022, at Alford Baptist Church with Reverend Bob Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in Alford City Cemetery with Marianna Chapel Funeral Home directing.

The family will receive friends from 12 P.M. until the time of service at Alford Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Chipola Family Ministries in her name. The address is 3004 Hwy 71 North, Marianna Fl 32446.

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