Joy Dian (Thomas) Clabaugh 1948-2020

THOMAS, CLABAUGH, NITCHALS

Posted By: Barry R Huntsinger (email)
Date: 1/3/2021 at 08:54:52

Joy Dian Clabaugh was born on May 14, 1948 to Clarence and Elinore (Nitchals) Thomas in Estherville, Iowa. She passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Estherville at the age of 72 years. A celebration of life for Joy will be held in May 2021.

Joy attended Dolliver, Iowa and Gruver, Iowa Schools before marrying Dennis Clabaugh on October 29, 1964 and to this union, two children were born, Denise and Troy. The couple made their home in Dolliver, Iowa and later moved to the Graettinger, Iowa area in 1977 and into town in 1992.

Joy worked at the Graettinger Country Store for many years. When the Graettinger Market opened, she helped Shelly Schmitt to get the store set up and grew their lifelong friendship even deeper as co-workers. Joy continued to work there until her health required her to retire. She was able to remain in her home with the help and care of her dear friend and neighbor Mary Kerr. She became a resident of Good Samaritan Center in Estherville in 2017, where she was treated with such great compassion and care by all the staff and volunteers.

She was a member of the Dolliver Methodist Church. Joy will be remembered as a fun, strong willed, full of life individual. Joy loved spending time with family especially going on the yearly motorcycle trips that sometimes led to an unplanned camping trip. She always made the best of every situation and was sure to get a good laugh out of whatever life threw her way. Joy loved to be outside especially walking through Fort Defiance in the fall, listening to music, trips to the casino, but most of all loved spending time with her family.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Denise (Clay) Crandall, North Sioux City, South Dakota, and Troy (Lynn) Clabaugh, Graettinger; and her granddaughter, Logan (Zach) Harris, Graettinger. She is also survived by her siblings, Joan Christophel, Dennis Thomas, Roger (Linda) Thomas, and Kim (Deb) Thomas; and brothers-in-law Gary (Lousie) Clabaugh and Stephen Clabaugh; and many nieces and nephews.

Joy is preceded in death by her husband Dennis, her parents, Clarence and Elinore Thomas, her brothers, Gary and Norman Thomas, her sisters, Phyllis and Sherry, and two nephews, Bruce Christophel and Curtis Thomas.

Interment was at the Valley View Cemetery in Graettinger.

(Source: Henry-Olson Funeral Home, Estherville, Iowa.)