Joann Schroeder Thedford

JoAnn (Schroeder) Thedford, age 80, of Abilene, passed away Sunday morning, June 3, 2012, at her residence. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning in Abilene. Graveside services will be held 4:00 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Cemetery near West, with Deacon Buddy Shieldes officiating. JoAnn was born on January 19, 1932, to Alfonse and Della (Popp) Schroeder, in West. She grew up in West and graduated from West High School in 1950. She graduated from Central City Commercial College in Waco in 1952. JoAnn married her high school sweetheart, Jack L. Thedford in 1953. She worked as a secretary for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in College Station, until his graduation from Texas A & M in 1954. As an Air Force wife, JoAnn had the opportunity to travel extensively in the United States, Europe and Japan. She was a homemaker and raised four children in Texas, California, New Mexico, Florida, Japan and Germany. After her children were grown, JoAnn went back to work and worked for Joe Harrell at Dunigan Enterprises for over 20 years until her retirement. JoAnn loved life, the outdoors and gardening. She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was an accomplished bridge player and enjoyed entertaining. JoAnn was a volunteer at Saint Vincent Palotti Catholic Church and worked many years in the thrift store. Above all, family was most important to her. She would do anything to help her family and friends. It seems she always had a kind word for people and a very giving spirit. JoAnn enjoyed her 80th birthday this year in West and her party was attended by many friends, cousins, nephews and nieces. JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her brother, Bill Schroeder and wife Pat of Waco; her children, David W. Thedford of Abilene, Dean Thedford and wife Faye of Ft. Worth, Elizabeth Thedford Ille and husband Ron of Abilene, and Joan Thedford Brown and husband Shon of Keller; grandchildren; Ben Thedford, Avery Thedford, Chris Goodman, Olan Goodman, Brian Thedford, Courtney Vest, Michael McKay, Kara Ille, Slade Brown and Ryan Brown; six great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Family Catholic Church or West Texas Rehabilitation Center Hospice of the Big Country.