Joy Jeneane Thornburg

Joy Jeneane Thornburg, 86, of Pampa, passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side on August 27, 2018 in Pampa.

Celebration of Life services will be 10:00 AM, Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Russell Thornburg, her son, officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

As our August days have come to end, so does the life of a longtime Pampa resident. Leave with a smile on this last Monday, August 27^th she joins up with her gracious almighty Lord in those Heavens above. She leaves 86 years of patience, guidance, helpful and caring ways and with many other things that made her admired and more appreciated for her dedication in schools and churches. She set large footprints in creating education programs for the young and old.

On April 3, 1932 Joy Jeneane Worrell was born to Dr. T.J. and Gussie K. Worrell in Pampa on loan as a special angel to her family and church. Jeneane attended Pampa schools and graduated Pampa High School from class of 1951. After high school, she met the love of her life, Leroy Thornburg, Sr. and they later married on July 20, 1951 in Pampa and he would precede her in death on January 27, 2018. Jeneane was a Baylor University graduate who majored in Education. After college, she returned to Pampa where she went to work for the family business, Pampa Farm & Home Supply. In addition to the family business, she helped at the First Baptist Church, and at her father’s Worrell Veterinarian Animal Clinic. Eventually, she entered into Education, a career that would span 37 years. During this career, Joy Jeneane along with four others paved a way for creating Head Start and for 28 years she impacted thousands of children’s lives to a better life and better education. Jeneane’s proudest educational achievement was to earn the Super Teacher award in 1991 for her patience, persistence, understanding, and for giving inspiration to strive towards higher learning.

Mrs. Thornburg was a community minded lady who was a member of KKI and Angel Tree. Jeneane was a longtime member of First Baptist Church where she was a church choir member, helped with vocational bible studies, taught Sunday school, and she was part of getting the first bus ministry started in mid1960’s. Jeneane was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Patsy Rodgers; and by two brother-in-law’s, Joe Y. Rodgers and Daniel Martinez.

She leaves behind her daughter, Delia Ann Grimes and husband Joe of Pampa; 3 sons, Leroy E. Thornburg, Jr and wife Elizabeth of San Antonio, Timothy Mac L. Thornburg of Pampa, and Russell Thornburg and wife, Beth of Milano; her three granddaughters, Christy Fanelli of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Cindy Cox and husband David of Springtown, and Alexis Griffith and husband Tyler of San Antonio; her 5 great-grandchildren; her sister, Virginia Martinez of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, September 2, 2018 from 5:00-6:00PM at the funeral home.

Memorials can be made to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 621 Pampa, Texas 79066-0621