Joan Adams Thompson Murray

Joan Adams Thompson Murray was born on a family farm on August 4, 1934, in Cleveland, Idaho. She was the seventh of seven children. It was during the depression that she grew up working on the family farm as well as for other farmers to help support the family. Her childhood consisted of family time, family work and family fun activities. Because she was the youngest, she babysat a lot for her older siblings as they married and had children. She loved her big family and never wanted to be alone. 

Joan is preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters, husband, Earl L. Murray, husband Glen M. Thompson, and a great-granddaughter, Kylee JoAnn Decker.

Joan attended and graduated from Grace High School. During her high school years is where she met her future husband, Earl L. Murray, the captain of the football team. After graduation she attended LDS Business College in Salt Lake City to become a secretary. She lived in the Beehive House that was a dorm for female students at the time. Joan and Earl continued to date and were married in the Logan Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 24, 1953. Earl was drafted into the army and spent the first two years of married life in Alaska during the Korean War. As a family, they lived in Utah, California and then came home to Idaho. 

Five children and a foster daughter call them mom and dad.

In addition to raising children, Joan served in many church callings including Primary President, Young Women’s President, several times, and Relief Society President. She supported her husband as he served as a Bishop, Stake President, and Stake Patriarch. When Earl was president of the Pocatello Idaho Stake, she hosted many General Authorities and Apostles in her home. They loved her cooking, especially the rolls and pies. The gift that Joan had was to stop whatever she was doing and sit down with whoever stopped by and hear about their life. All the grandchildren thought they were her favorite because she knew them individually through this gift of time. She had a saying that she taught her children; “your name is safe in our home”. She always looked for the good in everyone.

Later in life she went to work as a public assistance officer for the IRS. She worked hard with people in difficult times to solve their tax problems. It was hard work going back to school and learning new skills, but she loved the work and helping people. Her love of people always softened any problem that came through the tax office.

Her sweetheart, Earl passed away in 1996. This left a huge hole in her heart. Her commitment to serve God, led her on a new adventure to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints working in the church office building in SLC. It had been her goal when she was young to work there. Joan processed the paperwork of all the calls going to people who were to serve as missionaries and working with church leaders as the calls were issued and sent. After her mission she connected with a classmate from high school, Glen M. Thompson. They were married in 2002. Together they traveled, became Utah Jazz fans, and served a mission to St. George. Glen passed away in 2015.

Joan has spent the last years of her life loving and teaching her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. One thing she has always loved is Winnie the Pooh bears. She sewed pooh bears for her grandchildren. She has countless friends that she has loved and served. Many have passed away before her. She loved her friends and the staff at Quail Ridge where she spent her last years. She loved family nights with her family and Sunday night concerts in the park that brought the family together.

She is survived by her children, Jan (David Smith) Pocatello, Bryan Murray (Lorie) Pocatello, Renee (Paul Manning) Pocatello, Laura Strahs Fox of North Dakota, Vern Murray (Dalyn) Pocatello, and Jill (Gery Robertson) Inkom. She has 18 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. 

Her family will never forget her. She loved a saying by Winnie the Pooh; “Promise me you’ll never forget me. Because if I thought you would, I would never leave.”

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 11 am at the LDS Church, 5425 S. Bannock Hwy. Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Viewings will be on Friday, May 31 from 6-7:30 pm and again on Saturday at 10 am prior to the services, both at the church.

Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, 1520 S. 5th Ave. Pocatello, ID.

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