Mrs. Joyce Kay (Frazier) Thomas, 73, of North Salem, passed away peacefully in her home on Aug. 10, 2019 surrounded by her family.
Joyce was born on Feb. 26, 1946, at the Boone County Hospital in Lebanon, along with her twin brother, Ted Frazier, to James and Opal (Stewart) Frazier. She was a 1964 graduate of North Salem High School. She worked at King’s School Equipment in Danville following her graduation.
On May 28, 1967, she married her high school sweetheart, Arthur Thomas of North Salem. They recently celebrated 52 years of marriage. Art and Joyce farmed in the North Salem community for several years and were a part of the Young Farmer’s Assoc. of Danville. They expanded their family with a son in 1971, Gary Thomas and again with a daughter in 1976, Anita (Thomas) Pearman. Joyce became a full-time mother and homemaker, raising her children and supporting her husband as he farmed.
In 1980, they became Pastors of the Free Pentecostal Church in Jamestown, IN; in April of 1983, they founded Harvestime Fellowship in Jamestown. During those years, Joyce started a cleaning business and began cleaning for Bob and Barbara Porter in 1980; she also cleaned the Porter Funeral Homes and Porter Insurance offices until 2017. Joyce also cleaned for Doc and Nita Power and continued to clean for Doc and Darlene Power until 2017; others included Ryan and Sara Wrede, Steve and Jane Panarites, and many others.
Joyce was an accomplished seamstress and cook. She sewed matching suits and dresses for her family, custom sweatshirts with frills and stained glass looking designs, and t-shirt dresses for girls, among many other items. She also enjoyed making stuffed muslin rabbits and mice. She made them in pairs, a boy and girl, in matching outfits.
Joyce loved baking pies for people, canning various fruits and vegetables and putting up fresh, sweet corn. She could walk into a store and it seemed as if the store marked things down when she walked in. She had an ability to find bargains and was always thinking of others when she was shopping. On the hunt for bargain gifts to give the Missionaries the church supported or looking for clothes for the Missionaries to give away as gifts to others, she was on a mission on each visit to the stores.
Cooking big, home cooked meals was something she loved to share with the many Missionaries, Evangelists and Pastors whom she welcomed into their home from all over the world. A fantastic hostess to those who visited and she would always send them away with some of her frozen corn or canned goods she had made.
Joyce had a heart for people and always had a hug, smile and encouraging word for anyone she met. The people at Harvestime Fellowship were people that she truly loved. She was a prayer warrior and loved to sing and play the piano for the Lord. She began singing at a very young age along with her two sisters, Patty Woodrum and Marge Stultz. They were frequently asked to sing at banquets and community celebrations. The Frazier sisters were also features on Fox 59 morning news, singing Christmas songs together.
Joyce is survived by her husband, Art Thomas; her son, Gary (Luisa) Thomas; her daughter, Anita (Mike) Pearman; three grandsons: Thomas, Jacob, and Samuel Pearman; her sisters, Patty (Woody) Woodrum and Marge Stultz; her brothers, Ted (Marilyn) Frazier and Ron (Leslie) Frazier; and her aunt, Ruth Wethington, along with numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and multiple cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother-in-law, Joe Stultz and her in-laws, Bill and Ruth (Smiley) Thomas.
There will be calling at Harvestime Fellowship in Jamestown, IN on Fri., Aug. 16, 2019 from 2-8 p.m. The funeral service will be Sat., Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. at Harvestime Fellowship. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in North Salem, IN. In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to Harvestime Fellowship, P.O. Box 312, Jamestown, IN 46147. Arrangements are being handled by Strawmyer and Drury Mortuary of Lebanon, IN.
