Joan Mae (Bowers) Thornburg

                Slidell, Louisiana-Dr. Joan Mae Thornburg, 85, passed away Thursday evening, November 9, 2017, at the Ochsner Northshore Medical center following an extended illness.  She was born on September 11, 1932, in Middletown, Indiana, the daughter of Lawrence O. and Mary Etta (Davis) Bowers.

                Joan is a 1950 graduate of Daleville High School and later graduated from Ball State University in 1981 and had earned her EDD in English from there as well.  She had taught at the Union Jr. Sr. High School in Modoc for seven years and later for the New Orleans, Louisiana Public Schools for eleven years prior to her retirement in 1992.  Mrs. Thornburg had been a past member of the Oak Park Baptist Church in New Orleans where she had taught Sunday school for eleven years and is a former member of the First Baptist Church in Muncie.  In addition, Joan had been a member of several professional organizations, the McRae Literary Club and the International Circle.

                Survivors include, one son, Samuel J. Dragoo (wife-Pamela), Muncie; one daughter, Sherri Brannon, Picayune, Mississippi; one stepson, James D. Thornburg, Indianapolis; three grandchildren, Sarah Smith (husband-Aaron), S. Nathan Dragoo (wife-Kristen) and Austin J. Dragoo; three great grandchildren, Ellis and Wynton Smith and Isabelle Dragoo; several nieces and nephews.

                She is preceded in death by her two husbands, Samuel James Dragoo and Orville Jack Thornburg; her parents; two sisters, Norma Gritter and Carolyn Brown.

                Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 16, 2017, 10:00 A.M.  at the First Baptist Church  309 E. Adams St. Muncie, IN 47305; with Dr. Wade Allen officiating.  Burial will follow at the Miller Cemetery in Middletown, Indiana.  Parson Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements.

                Friends may call at the Parson Mortuary on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and again at the church on Thursday, November 16, 2017, from 9:00 A.M. until service time.

                A memorial service celebrating Joan Thornburg’s life will be held in Picayune, Mississippi on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 2:00 P.M. at the Trinity United Methodist Church which is located at 3201 The Woods Road in Picayune, MS 39466.

                Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Associating Indianapolis IN Office located at 6415 Castleway W. Drive, Suite 114 Indianapolis, IN 46250.

                Online condolences may be made to the family in care of parsonmortuary.com.

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