POLAND, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Betty J. Thompson, 87, of Poland, died Thursday, February 9, 2023, at her home.
She was born March 12, 1935, in Youngstown, a daughter of Jess and Rose (Raupach) Strawderman and was a lifelong area-resident.
She was a graduate of South High School.
She had worked for the telephone company, was a secretary for Conrad Sales and a teller at the Dollar Bank in Struthers.
Betty was a longtime member of Good Hope Lutheran Church in Boardman, where she was a member and treasurer of the Priscilla Circle, helped with the rummage sales, was part of the “lunch bunch” and made and decorated welcome bags for people that visited the church.
Betty was very creative which was evident in her cake decorating and card making, using “Just Because” as the trademark for everything she did.
She was married to her childhood sweetheart, Richard “Dick” Thompson, for 63 years. He died October 12, 2018.
She leaves her three children, Debbie (Mark) Patsko of Poland, Sandy (John) Fiumara of New Middletown and Russ (Joann) Thompson of Poland; her brother, Jack (Judy) Strawderman of Florida; her brother-in-law, Terry (Mary) Flaugher; a sister-in-law, Carol Burrows; eight grandchildren, Jennifer (Brad) Nigh, Adam (Amanda Jo) Patsko, Sarah Thompson, Amanda (Andrew) Bero, Richard (Missi) Thompson, Dominic (Amy) Fiumara, Angelina (Zach) Davis and Samuel (Mariah) Fiumara and 14 great-grandchildren, Kendall, Ryan and Alexandra Jean Nigh, Avery and Ainsley Jean Patsko, Jack, Levi, and Evan Bero, Penny and Max Thompson, Alexandria, Dominic and Vito Fiumara and Zeb Davis.
Besides her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Billy Strawderman and four sisters, Katherine Strawderman, Jessie Tarary, Rose Burrows and Nancy Flaugher.
Friends will be received 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Sunday, February 12, 2023, at the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home in Poland.
A funeral service will be held Monday at 11:00 a.m. at Good Hope Lutheran Church in Boardman, where friends may call one hour prior to the service, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests material contributions take the form of donations to the Good Hope Lutheran Church memorial fund.
Condolences may be sent at beckerobits.com.
A television tribute will air Monday, February 13 at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.