Joann Elaine Thomas was born May 8, 1946 in Miami, Florida. She was the daughter of the late Joseph Bethel and Rosa Lee Bethel.

Joann was educated in Miami during her early years, and later attended the Chatham County School System in Savannah, Georgia.

She later moved to Massachusetts where she met her beloved husband, Roy L. Thomas. They were married in 1968 and have been side by side ever since. Together they raised a loving family and taught their children the importance of family, and the importance of displaying proper morals and values. When Joann became ill, Roy was at her side the entire time, and provided her with love, comfort and reassurance that she would never be alone.

Joann retired from Nynex Yellow Pages where she worked as a clerk for 30 years.  Thereafter, she became a dispatcher at GLSS the Ride. She loved both of her jobs and the people she worked with, maintaining lifelong friendships with many of her coworkers.

Joann loved her church, Zion Baptist Church, where she was baptized as a renewal of "faith" to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She loved her Zion family and served them faithfully.

Joann had a servant's heart made of gold. She loved cooking and baking for family, friends and coworkers and displayed that hospitality by inviting any, and all, who wanted to gather for a meal. She was known for her stylish sense of fashion and her matching designer bags and shoes. We will miss our beloved Joann, but we all know, to be absent in the flesh is to be present with the Lord.

God called Joann home on May 13, 2022. She leaves to mourn her devoted and loving husband of 54 years, Roy Thomas; Her cherished daughters, Tammy Stone of Savannah, GA, Antoinette Thomas of Peabody, MA, Rosalyn Thomas of Atlanta, GA, and Cherice Thomas of Peabody, MA; Her revered sons, Reginald Bryan (Linda) of Savannah, GA and Richard Hudson (Sheryl) of Miami, FL. Her sister, Jacqueline Manigo of Savannah, GA and her brother, Joseph Bethel, Jr. (Laverne) of Atlanta, GA. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Rosa Lee Bethel, her beloved son, Johnny L. Hudson, and her sisters Sheila Bethel, and Marilyn Culmer. She also leaves to mourn 16 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a host of  cousins, nieces, and nephews.