Joyce Pertl Thatcher

Joyce Pertl Thatcher passed away peacefully in her sleep at home next to her beloved husband, Scott, of 52 years, at the age of 79.

Joyce was born on November 19, 1943, at home on the family farm in Caldwell to Stanley and Annie (Sebesta) Pertl. She grew up in a Czech family with five siblings: Clarence, Melvin, Stanley, Naomi and her twin brother, Joel.

Joyce spent her childhood becoming familiar with the farm life. Although it wasn’t her ideal chore, on hot days, she would help pick cotton in the fields filling the heavy cotton sack. She loved gathering the eggs out of the chicken coup and would hide them under the bed to avoid them being crushed by her twin brother, who might have gotten a little rambunctious here and there. Her very favorite thing to do would be to crawl up and take a nap next to her Grandma Sebesta, who she would translate for Czech to English when they would go into town.

Joyce was a charter member of First Assembly of God in Caldwell, Texas and would become the church pianist where she would have many requests to play hymns, specifically Mansion Over the Hilltop, and sing with her brother, Joel.

Joyce graduated from Caldwell High School in 1962 and was employed by the local drug store in Bryan. She eventually went to work for the Tectonophysics Department at Texas A&M University. She was used as an advertising model for a few publications within the department she worked for. Her firstborn, Jeff, blessed her life in 1967. On a fun night out with her friends in 1969, she caught the eye of a handsome young man in a lime green Barracuda that pulled up next to the green Maverick that Joyce was in. It was then that Scott Thatcher told his buddy, “I’m going to marry that girl”. After an innocent chase through town, Scott eventually met Joyce and they started dating. During their courtship, Scott joined the Air Force and left for basic training in San Antonio and received orders to be stationed in San Bernardino, California. Upon receiving a 1 week leave, Scott called Joyce and told her that he was coming back to marry her and they married on August 11, 1971 and left for San Bernardino the next day. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1972, Scott and Joyce left California to begin their life in Texas.

Joyce once again secured a job with the Texas A&M University system working for the Vice President of Student Affairs. Scott and Joyce welcomed their first daughter, Alise in 1976, their second daughter, Kristal, in 1978 and their surprise baby girl, Jana in 1979. Joyce finally made the decision to become a homemaker, running the daily affairs of managing her bustling household. She taught music at Calvary Baptist Church for elementary students, led neighborhood bible lessons at the community park for the neighborhood friends and was involved as a Missionette teacher at College Heights Assembly of God in Bryan. Joyce was PTA room mom for all her children and supported her girls through all the years of cheer, dance and school functions. She loved attending a weekly ladies Bible Study and lunch with her friends. She gained two sons-in-law when Alise married Brad Levens and Kristal married Kevin Beachy. Joyce became a grandmother in 2003 when her first grandson, Braeden, was born. Her love for her grandchildren was multiplied by 5 when Danica, Landon, Carter, Brenham and Adaline were born. Her grandkids were the joy of her life. She was a dedicated caregiver of her diabetic son, Jeff and definitely knew how to care for him better than any physician.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and Annie (Sebesta) Pertl, her siblings: Clarence, Melvin, Stanley, Naomi (Pertl) Rathjen and Joel Pertl and her son, Jeffrey Todd Thatcher. She is survived by her husband, Scott Thatcher, her daughters Alise (Thatcher) Levens and spouse Brad Levens, Kristal (Thatcher) Beachy and spouse Kevin Beachy, Jana Thatcher, and her grandchildren, Braeden Levens, Landon Levens, Danica Beachy, Carter Beachy, Brenham Beachy and Adaline Beachy.