Lois Dixon Thompson

Lois Dixon Thompson, 84, passed away in her home on February 19, 2024, following a hard-fought three and a half-year battle with cancer, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Cross Plains, Tennessee on September 22, 1939, to the late Paul and Catherine “Cat” Dixon, and was a longtime resident of North, Virginia.

Lois was preceded in death by her loving husband of 51 years, Donald Thompson, and her siblings Janice Thompson, Jackie Dixon, and Patsy Dixon. She is survived by her sister Paula (Jeff) Meadows; her daughters Julie (Drew) Chapman and Jennifer (Matt) Yeargin; her five grandchildren Donald (Jessica) Borst Jr., April (Cas) Caruso, Adam (Caleigh) Medlin, Kathryn (Alex) Brown, and Kristina Yeargin; and her five great-grandchildren Hailey, Cole, Zachary, Lilliana, and Lucas.

In the early years of her career, Lois worked in banking. Following that, she turned her focus toward her family and raising her two daughters. Then, in 1976, her husband Don began his own company, Thompson Export Packing Company, and Lois joined him in this endeavor. She started out with keeping the books, and as time went on, she became Secretary-Treasurer of the company.

Lois was loved by many and whether it was spending time as Mom, Grandma, Granny, or GG, she always had time for a game of cards or a funny anecdote about growing up. She was an avid reader who was one of the original founders of the River Readers Book club, and went through books faster than anyone else, but always came back to the classics like Gone with the Wind. She had a great appreciation for the arts, and dabbled in many, from creating flower arrangements to crafting homemade Christmas ornaments. She loved taking care of flowers and watching the birds, especially her hummingbirds and cardinals. She loved listening to the music of her youth, and was an unstoppable one-woman fan club for the King himself, Elvis Presley.

Lois wished to extend her deepest gratitude to the Riverside Walter Reed Cancer Center and the hospice staff there. Their never-ending assistance and care helped to ease this journey for Lois and her family.

While there will always be a place in our hearts for Lois, we find peace in knowing that she is at rest and together again with her loving Don.

A public visitation for Lois will be held Saturday, February 24, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 2551 North Armistead Ave, Hampton, Virginia 23666. A funeral service will occur Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 12:00 PM, 2551 North Armistead Ave, Hampton, Virginia 23666. An interment to follow service will occur Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Parklawn Memorial Park, 2551 N Armistead Ave, VA 23666.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Lois’s honor to the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, 43 Brickbat Rd, Mathews, VA 23109, or the Mark E. Ellis Endowment, The Riverside Foundation, 608 Denbigh Blvd, Suite 700, Newport News, VA 23608.

"May you come to find comfort in and remember- cardinals appear when angels are near.”

Victoria McGovern