Joan Baker Thompson passed away peacefully at her home in Myrtle Beach on August 7^th, 2023. Her son, Chris, and her dear friend and private nurse, Kim, were at her side. She was ninety years old.

Mrs. Thompson was born in Kingstree, S.C. on May 30, 1933, to the late Ruby Cantey Baker and the late Joseph Fletcher Baker. She was predeceased by her husband of almost fifty years, H. Erwin Thompson, Sr.

Surviving Mrs. Thompson are her two sons whom she adored, H. Erwin (Ki) Thompson, Jr. and his wife, Carol, of Murrells Inlet, and Dr. D. Christopher Thompson of Myrtle Beach. Also surviving her are her beloved siblings and their spouses, which include Dr. F. Keels Baker and his wife Laura of Manning, Jeri B. Phillips and her husband Leroy also of Manning, and Angie B. Bland and her husband Jimmy of Mayesville. In addition, Mrs. Thompson is survived by a host of treasured nieces and nephews who meant the world to her and whom she loved visiting and hosting.

Mrs. Thompson earned her B. S. and MAT degrees from Winthrop College in 1955 and 1975 respectfully. She continued her education in 1976 at The University of South Carolina where she obtained certifications to serve as principal, superintendent, and vocational director for the State of South Carolina.

As a consummate educator and administrator, Mrs. Thompson enjoyed a stellar career in education that spanned more than five decades. During the early part of her career, she taught math and home economics in Hampton, Virginia; Indiantown, S.C.; Kingstree, S.C.; and Richmond, Virginia. In 1974, she became the State Director of Home Economics Education, in Columbia, S.C., working directly under Dr. Cyril Busbee. Upon her return to Kingstree in 1978, Mrs. Thompson spent the next twenty years serving in a variety of positions including as the Principal of Kingstree Junior High School, the Principal of Kingstree Senior High School, an institution that she had served some thirty years prior as its first female student body president, and as the Assistant Superintendent of Education for Williamsburg County Schools. After a brief retirement in 1998, she returned to the profession that she loved so dearly in 2002 to serve as Head of School for The Williamsburg Academy, in Kingstree, for an additional eight years.

Mrs. Thompson loved her community, and she loved working to improve the lives of others. To that end, she was a former President of The Kingstree Rotary Club, a former member and Chairman of the Board of Williamsburg Technical College, an active member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, member of the Kingstree First Baptist Church’s Decorating Committee and a Deacon in The Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. In 2001, she was named “Benefactor” by The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.         

In the autumn of Mrs. Thompson’s life, she developed a very deep affinity for beautiful sunsets. She saw them as colorful symbols of God’s goodness, grace and power. Accompanied by her son, Chris, she had the opportunity to view many amazing sunsets from such places as Alaska, Curacao and St. Croix. However, some of her most memorable sunsets were seen during dinner from the terrace of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, and from small sailing vessels floating freely between Key West and Sunset Key. At these special moments, she never failed to speak of the closeness that she felt to God and of the awesome beauty and majesty of the earth that he had created.

Ki and Chris would like to thank Dr. Raymond K. Allen of Kingstree for his dear friendship and the exceptional medical care given to their mother over the past thirty-five years. In addition, they would also like to thank their mother’s last, best friend, confidant, and exceptional private nurse, Mrs. Kimberly Harlan, for the care, unwavering love and devotion shown to their mother throughout the last four years.

A funeral service is planned for Wednesday, August 16^th at 2 PM at the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in Kingstree. Interment will follow at Williamsburg Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm in Grace Hall located adjacent to the church sanctuary.  The Rev. Josie Holler is officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 411 N. Academy Street, Kingstree, SC 29556, or a charity of one’s choosing.