UNIONTOWN, Mo. -- Joyce Flora Thomas, 88, of Uniontown passed away Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born May 3, 1932, in Hinsdale, Illinois, daughter of Paul Ernest Otto and Flora Hilda Bodneschatz Petschke. She and Robert Thomas were married Aug. 15, 1959, at McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, New Jersey. He survives.

Joyce was a graduate of Hinsdale High School

She enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 12, 1955, and was honorably discharged Nov. 9, 1959. During this time is when she met the love of her life, Robert.

After military service, she raised her children. She then went to work for the City of St. Louis until she retired. She enjoyed volunteering at Mercy Hospital at Mercy Jefferson in Festus, Missouri, for 25 years.

Loving survivors include her husband of 61 years; two sons, Caleb Thomas of St. Louis and Craig (Elizabeth) Thomas of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Cathryn (Kirby) Klaus of Uniontown; six grandchildren, Heather Thomas, Robert Thomas, Reece (Lauren) Thomas, Maxwell Winchester, Dakota Thomas, Bailey Thomas and Wesley (Sherry) Klaus; a brother, James (Joan) Petschke; and a brother-in-law, John E. Thomas.

Also surviving are five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Kenneth Petschke; and two sisters, Edith Uhl and Margaret Pfeiffer.

A public visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time Friday at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown.

The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. Paul R. Winningham officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Grace Lutheran Church Cemetery, 53 Grace Lane, Uniontown, MO 63783.

To send an online condolence to the family, visit McCombs Funeral Home's website at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com; then click on the tribute wall tab of Joyce's personal obituary page.

Traditional gifts, cards and contributions may be sent to the family at McCombs Funeral Home, c/o Joyce Thomas, 640 W. Independence St., Jackson, MO 63755.