Joel Thompson

Sunday, April 14, 2024 9:10 pm

Joel Lyndon Thompson, age 60, of Belmond (formerly of Decorah), passed away peacefully on April 12, 2024, after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s. Joel was surrounded by his family at Accura Healthcare of Ames at the time of his passing.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. David Severtson presiding.  Burial will be at a later date. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 E. Water St., in Decorah and after 10 a.m. at the church on Thursday morning.

Joel was born Dec. 31, 1963, to Dale and Pricilla (Sherburne) Thompson at the Decorah Hospital in Decorah, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church. Joel attended Decorah Community Schools where he was active on the baseball and football teams. He was a proud graduate of the class of 1982.

On July 15, 1983, Joel was united in marriage to Janet Kay Thompson of Belmond, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. They were blessed with three children: Kristen, Kayla, and Lynnette; and resided in Decorah for the next 30 years.

Joel had many different occupations. During high school he worked for Mabe’s Pizza. After graduation from high school, Joel moved and attended college at Buena Vista for a short while. Upon returning, Joel worked at the creamery, Knight’s Distributing, and Frana Distributing in Calmar. He delivered beer all over Northeast Iowa, making friends in every town he went to. After working at Frana’s for 13 years, Joel decided it was time for a change. He started working at Dr. Pepper/7-Up Bottling Company. There, he wore many hats from delivering product locally to driving a semi to Dubuque every day. Joel then changed careers and began working at Gemini. This is where Joel’s working career would end, and he would eventually be diagnosed with dementia.

In his free time, Joel enjoyed being in the outdoors and fishing. He loved teaching anyone who could keep up with him how to fish, especially his sons-in-law and grandchildren. He taught himself how to fly fish and tie his own flies. Joel loved to sit and chat with friends over an Old Style. Janet always had a hard time taking him into a store for a quick stop because he always ran into someone he knew, and she couldn’t get him to leave.

Joel exemplified what it means to bring faith into life and lead by example, showed those around him how to give even when there was little to give, was extraordinarily kind when others were down, and brought joy to everyone he met.

He is survived by his wife, Janet Thompson, of Belmond and three children: Kristen (Rick) Moon (Eden Prairie, MN), Kayla (Derek) Richards (Waukee), and Lynnette (Rory) Borsheim (Decorah); three grandchildren: Dahlynne and Blake Borsheim and Remi Richards; his sisters-in-law: Deb Roske and Dawn (Junior) Erickson and many nieces and nephews.

Joel was preceded in death by his parents Dale and Priscilla Thompson, and by two brothers: Davis and Brian Thompson