Beatrice "Nickey" Thompson

Beatrice “Nickey” Thompson, age 102, passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side. 
Born on April 7th, 1919 in Harrington, Delaware to the late Edward and Grace Harriett (nee Sharp), Nickey was a lifelong Delawarean.
She attended and graduated from Harrington High School graduating in the class of 1936; she later attended Beacom College in 1938. One of her greatest accomplishments was being crowned Miss Delaware in 1937 and being the oldest living Miss Delaware until her passing.   Most of her life she was a homemaker and her family was the heart of her life.   She was very active in her children’s school and church life and that also extended into the lives of her grandsons and their families as well as other family members.   She was always looking for ways to help not only her family but her friends as well. 
During her life she worked at several small private dress shops and jewelry stores until she started a career with Wilmington Trust in 1961.  Nickey worked for Wilmington Trust for 25 years upon retiring from the Louviers Branch. 
Nickey was a longstanding member of the Newark Methodist Church where she was a member since 1958. She was also a Sunday school teacher for over 15 years where she taught the two year olds.   She was active in the Harrington High School Alumni, Wilmington Trust Retirement Group, Miss Delaware Alumni Association and her most favorite and fun group “Chuck’s Travel Group”, with whom she traveled the United States and Europe extensively with her daughter, Dee.   She was also very blessed to get to travel to WV, NC, PA, TX and GA to spend many weeks with Dee and family.  All you had to do was say “Hey Mom, do you want to go to……” and her bags were packed. 
Nickey had a love for music and acting, both were a very important part of her life; from plays in school to listening and dancing to all the wonderful Big Bands and Swing music.  She loved all types of music and you could many times hear Elvis, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Perry Como and many other singers coming from her cassette player.  Many nights the rug would be rolled up in her living room, and she and “Fish” would dance to all their favorite songs on the record player. 
The Phillies were her local baseball team, and she watched them on TV whenever they played, even during spring training.   She loved playing bridge, visiting the beach which always included a stop at Dolly’s for caramel corn; where she also enjoyed watching all the “boardwalk walkers”.    In her younger years, she rode horses, did lots of gardening, oil painting, sewing, boating and even some fishing and crabbing.  She stayed very active her entire life and especially loved to entertain in her home.   You can’t talk about Mom’s life without mentioning her love for oysters. You want to talk about a big smile…just let Glen walk in, which he did often, with a bunch of oysters which he would then shuck and prepare for her, a treat which she treasured.
In addition to her parents, Nickey is preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, Clarence “Fish” Thompson, as well as her second husband, Charles “Bill” Thompson; her son, Arthur “Cotton” Thompson; her daughter-in-law, Joyce Suback Thompson; and her son-in-law, John T. Joyce Jr. 
Nickey is survived by her daughter, Dee Marie Thompson Joyce of Newark, DE; her son, Glen E. Thompson and partner, Bonnie, of Newark; her grandsons, John T. Joyce III and wife, Ara, of Clayton, GA; Michael W. Joyce and wife, Deann and their children, Breann and Vincent Joyce all of Conroe, TX; her nephew, George Graham and wife, Donna; and her nieces, Grace Calloway and Penny Sue Dennis.
A visitation will be held on Monday, January 24th, 2022 at the Doherty Funeral Home located at 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington DE 19808, where the family will accept friends and guests from 11am to 12pm.  A funeral service will begin promptly at 12pm where burial will follow at the Gracelawn Memorial Park. 
In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made in her honor to the Miss Delaware Scholarship Fund, where checks can be made payable to the Miss Delaware Forever Scholarship Organization Fund located at 19 Versailles Court, Newark, DE 19702. 
To offer condolences, please visit: 
www.dohertyfh.com 

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