Josephine "Josie" M. Thompson, 87, died peacefully on November 7, 2020, with a smile on her face while listening to her boys from Italy, "Il Volo."
The youngest of nine children, she was born on July 27, 1933, to immigrants from Monreale, Sicily, James Nicolosi and Rose Giallombardo. Josie grew up in an Italian-speaking family in Marion, Ohio where she graduated from Harding High School, sung in the choir, and acquired her love of music. She briefly worked at Tecumseh before marrying in 1958 to the man she was set up with on a blind date, Victor J. Thompson, from Coldwater, KS. Vic preceded her in death in 2007.
As Victor's education and career progressed, the family grew and moved eight times (Gibson City, Fargo, Harvard, Lexington, Tulsa, Downers Grove, Omaha, and finally Springfield). Josie was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom throughout the course of her life raising their five children. She sent her kids off to school prepared and with her favorite saying "Have a day!" Good grades and good news were "Excellent!"
Josie combined her love of music and cooking for her family! Since she was the youngest, we assume that her father taught her how to cook since he never learned English and was a stay-at-home dad. We will never find a better meatball or sauce from scratch than hers! Her Sicilian style sheet pan pizzas (Greg says, no onions) were our favorites well before they became trendy. And if you never tasted a spitinetta, well, troppo male per te! (Sorry Greg, yes – onions!) Josie sang sometimes while she cooked, she was an "excellent" singer.
Happy memories during her life included: holidays for extended family gatherings and meals; parents' weekends and football games at the University of Illinois at Vincent's fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho, and watching him play in the Marching Illini; Steven calling our home's land-line while up in the air leaning to fly while at college outside of St. Louis; dressing up for Anne's wedding and dancing at the reception at the Chicago Hilton (no matter how brief the marriage, she knew how to throw a great party); numerous summers spent at little league baseball games where her son Gregory was an "excellent" catcher; and attending Jeffrey's graduation from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, following his father's early career in Marine Aviation.
In their golden years, Josie and Vic would walk in Washington Park next to their home, where they also enjoyed taking their grandchildren to the playground. They searched estate sales, auctions, and Ebay for treasures, including Virginia Metalcrafter's items (influenced from her sister Rose), Hummels (influenced from her sister Carm), and various pottery.
Josie was also preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings. She is survived by her five children, Vincent (David Thomas) Thompson of Columbus, OH, Steven Thompson of Springfield, Anne Marie (partner-in-adventure, Joseph Graham) of Carefree, AZ, Gregory Thompson of Springfield, IL, and Jeffrey (Kathlyn) Thompson of Deland, IL; two grandchildren, Katelyn (Ryan) Cameron of Carbon Cliff, IL and Timothy Thompson of Deland, IL; two great-grandchildren, Pierce and Finley Cameron; her best friend and sister, Biddy (Tom) Moran of Marion, OH; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation will be provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center. The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home—Springfield, 900 S. Sixth St., Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, listen to your favorite music in memory of Mom. Ti amo, mama!
The youngest of nine children, she was born on July 27, 1933, to immigrants from Monreale, Sicily, James Nicolosi and Rose Giallombardo. Josie grew up in an Italian-speaking family in Marion, Ohio where she graduated from Harding High School, sung in the choir, and acquired her love of music. She briefly worked at Tecumseh before marrying in 1958 to the man she was set up with on a blind date, Victor J. Thompson, from Coldwater, KS. Vic preceded her in death in 2007.
As Victor's education and career progressed, the family grew and moved eight times (Gibson City, Fargo, Harvard, Lexington, Tulsa, Downers Grove, Omaha, and finally Springfield). Josie was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom throughout the course of her life raising their five children. She sent her kids off to school prepared and with her favorite saying "Have a day!" Good grades and good news were "Excellent!"
Josie combined her love of music and cooking for her family! Since she was the youngest, we assume that her father taught her how to cook since he never learned English and was a stay-at-home dad. We will never find a better meatball or sauce from scratch than hers! Her Sicilian style sheet pan pizzas (Greg says, no onions) were our favorites well before they became trendy. And if you never tasted a spitinetta, well, troppo male per te! (Sorry Greg, yes – onions!) Josie sang sometimes while she cooked, she was an "excellent" singer.
Happy memories during her life included: holidays for extended family gatherings and meals; parents' weekends and football games at the University of Illinois at Vincent's fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho, and watching him play in the Marching Illini; Steven calling our home's land-line while up in the air leaning to fly while at college outside of St. Louis; dressing up for Anne's wedding and dancing at the reception at the Chicago Hilton (no matter how brief the marriage, she knew how to throw a great party); numerous summers spent at little league baseball games where her son Gregory was an "excellent" catcher; and attending Jeffrey's graduation from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, following his father's early career in Marine Aviation.
In their golden years, Josie and Vic would walk in Washington Park next to their home, where they also enjoyed taking their grandchildren to the playground. They searched estate sales, auctions, and Ebay for treasures, including Virginia Metalcrafter's items (influenced from her sister Rose), Hummels (influenced from her sister Carm), and various pottery.
Josie was also preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings. She is survived by her five children, Vincent (David Thomas) Thompson of Columbus, OH, Steven Thompson of Springfield, Anne Marie (partner-in-adventure, Joseph Graham) of Carefree, AZ, Gregory Thompson of Springfield, IL, and Jeffrey (Kathlyn) Thompson of Deland, IL; two grandchildren, Katelyn (Ryan) Cameron of Carbon Cliff, IL and Timothy Thompson of Deland, IL; two great-grandchildren, Pierce and Finley Cameron; her best friend and sister, Biddy (Tom) Moran of Marion, OH; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation will be provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center. The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home—Springfield, 900 S. Sixth St., Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, listen to your favorite music in memory of Mom. Ti amo, mama!
Josephine "Josie" M. Thompson, 87, died peacefully on November 7, 2020, with a smile on her face while listening to her boys from Italy, "Il Volo."
The youngest of nine children, she was born on July 27, 1933, to immigrants from Monreale, Sicily, James Nicolosi and Rose Giallombardo. Josie grew up in an Italian-speaking family in Marion, Ohio where she graduated from Harding High School, sung in the choir, and acquired her love of music. She briefly worked at Tecumseh before marrying in 1958 to the man she was set up with on a blind date, Victor J. Thompson, from Coldwater, KS. Vic preceded her in death in 2007.
As Victor's education and career progressed, the family grew and moved eight times (Gibson City, Fargo, Harvard, Lexington, Tulsa, Downers Grove, Omaha, and finally Springfield). Josie was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom throughout the course of her life raising their five children. She sent her kids off to school prepared and with her favorite saying "Have a day!" Good grades and good news were "Excellent!"
Josie combined her love of music and cooking for her family! Since she was the youngest, we assume that her father taught her how to cook since he never learned English and was a stay-at-home dad. We will never find a better meatball or sauce from scratch than hers! Her Sicilian style sheet pan pizzas (Greg says, no onions) were our favorites well before they became trendy. And if you never tasted a spitinetta, well, troppo male per te! (Sorry Greg, yes – onions!) Josie sang sometimes while she cooked, she was an "excellent" singer.
Happy memories during her life included: holidays for extended family gatherings and meals; parents' weekends and football games at the University of Illinois at Vincent's fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho, and watching him play in the Marching Illini; Steven calling our home's land-line while up in the air leaning to fly while at college outside of St. Louis; dressing up for Anne's wedding and dancing at the reception at the Chicago Hilton (no matter how brief the marriage, she knew how to throw a great party); numerous summers spent at little league baseball games where her son Gregory was an "excellent" catcher; and attending Jeffrey's graduation from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, following his father's early career in Marine Aviation.
In their golden years, Josie and Vic would walk in Washington Park next to their home, where they also enjoyed taking their grandchildren to the playground. They searched estate sales, auctions, and Ebay for treasures, including Virginia Metalcrafter's items (influenced from her sister Rose), Hummels (influenced from her sister Carm), and various pottery.
Josie was also preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings. She is survived by her five children, Vincent (David Thomas) Thompson of Columbus, OH, Steven Thompson of Springfield, Anne Marie (partner-in-adventure, Joseph Graham) of Carefree, AZ, Gregory Thompson of Springfield, IL, and Jeffrey (Kathlyn) Thompson of Deland, IL; two grandchildren, Katelyn (Ryan) Cameron of Carbon Cliff, IL and Timothy Thompson of Deland, IL; two great-grandchildren, Pierce and Finley Cameron; her best friend and sister, Biddy (Tom) Moran of Marion, OH; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation will be provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center. The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home—Springfield, 900 S. Sixth St., Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, listen to your favorite music in memory of Mom. Ti amo, mama!
The youngest of nine children, she was born on July 27, 1933, to immigrants from Monreale, Sicily, James Nicolosi and Rose Giallombardo. Josie grew up in an Italian-speaking family in Marion, Ohio where she graduated from Harding High School, sung in the choir, and acquired her love of music. She briefly worked at Tecumseh before marrying in 1958 to the man she was set up with on a blind date, Victor J. Thompson, from Coldwater, KS. Vic preceded her in death in 2007.
As Victor's education and career progressed, the family grew and moved eight times (Gibson City, Fargo, Harvard, Lexington, Tulsa, Downers Grove, Omaha, and finally Springfield). Josie was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom throughout the course of her life raising their five children. She sent her kids off to school prepared and with her favorite saying "Have a day!" Good grades and good news were "Excellent!"
Josie combined her love of music and cooking for her family! Since she was the youngest, we assume that her father taught her how to cook since he never learned English and was a stay-at-home dad. We will never find a better meatball or sauce from scratch than hers! Her Sicilian style sheet pan pizzas (Greg says, no onions) were our favorites well before they became trendy. And if you never tasted a spitinetta, well, troppo male per te! (Sorry Greg, yes – onions!) Josie sang sometimes while she cooked, she was an "excellent" singer.
Happy memories during her life included: holidays for extended family gatherings and meals; parents' weekends and football games at the University of Illinois at Vincent's fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho, and watching him play in the Marching Illini; Steven calling our home's land-line while up in the air leaning to fly while at college outside of St. Louis; dressing up for Anne's wedding and dancing at the reception at the Chicago Hilton (no matter how brief the marriage, she knew how to throw a great party); numerous summers spent at little league baseball games where her son Gregory was an "excellent" catcher; and attending Jeffrey's graduation from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, following his father's early career in Marine Aviation.
In their golden years, Josie and Vic would walk in Washington Park next to their home, where they also enjoyed taking their grandchildren to the playground. They searched estate sales, auctions, and Ebay for treasures, including Virginia Metalcrafter's items (influenced from her sister Rose), Hummels (influenced from her sister Carm), and various pottery.
Josie was also preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings. She is survived by her five children, Vincent (David Thomas) Thompson of Columbus, OH, Steven Thompson of Springfield, Anne Marie (partner-in-adventure, Joseph Graham) of Carefree, AZ, Gregory Thompson of Springfield, IL, and Jeffrey (Kathlyn) Thompson of Deland, IL; two grandchildren, Katelyn (Ryan) Cameron of Carbon Cliff, IL and Timothy Thompson of Deland, IL; two great-grandchildren, Pierce and Finley Cameron; her best friend and sister, Biddy (Tom) Moran of Marion, OH; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation will be provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center. The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home—Springfield, 900 S. Sixth St., Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, listen to your favorite music in memory of Mom. Ti amo, mama!
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