Joan L. Thayer

Our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother Joan L. Thayer, resident of Rawlins, WY, passed away on May 10, 2024. She was surrounded by her loving family at the Platte Valley Medical Center in Saratoga, WY. 

She was born on November 24, 1945, to Mr. John Hoeck and Ann Chicano-Hoeck in Santa Rosa, California. While living at the Crone place outside of Walcott, WY she met a handsome cowboy from Rawlins, Bruce Thayer. They married on November 27, 1963, beginning over 60 years of adventures together through thick or thin, full or flush. Joan took pride in her work with over 20 years at the Union Pacific Railroad and recently celebrating her 36-year anniversary at Wyoming State Penitentiary. The staff at WSP was her second family, usually her hours ranged Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, occasionally 8:30 to 5:30, and sometimes 9ish to 6:00. 

Her interests and hobbies were simply: family, spirited card games and keeping us all fed, very well fed. She enjoyed the Boston Celtics and Duke Basketball, along with her beautiful garden. Joan’s passion: her four granddaughters – traveling for their games and events from AAU volleyball, junior jazz basketball, Carbon County 4-H shows and auctions, recitals, concerts, and their graduations. She also loved traveling to California and Oregon to see all the family. Her favorite season was Christmas with her granddaughters. The five of them loved to decorate her home for the holidays, cooking and baking for the famous Christmas Eve tradition at her house. 

She will be greatly missed by her loving and devoted husband, Bruce Thayer, children Scott (Pam) Thayer and Janell Thayer-(Jerry) Steele. Grandchildren Sydney Thayer, MacKenzie Steele, Darby J. Thayer, and Bailey Steele of Rawlins, WY. Her sisters Lorette Cheda of Point Reyes, CA, Claudette Johnson of Bakersfield, CA, brother Jack (Kelly) Hoeck of Eugene, OR, sister-in-law Donna Cameron of Hamilton, MT, Aunt Isabell Poiani of Petaluma, CA, along with many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

Joan is proceeded in death by mother, Ann Hoeck, infant twin sons, in-laws Sid and Edith Thayer, brother in-laws Bill Johnson, Gary Cheda, Dee Cameron, Jack and Evey Pollak, Dick Howieson, Uncle Peter Poiani, and niece Melissa Johnson. 

We express our sincere gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the staff at the North Platte Valley Medical Center in Saratoga, WY. Everyone on the extended care, and physical and occupational therapy teams are very much appreciated for their compassion and excellent medical care. 

The funeral mass for Joan will be held on Thursday, May 23, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Rawlins, WY.  Following the graveside service, a luncheon will be held in the gymnasium at St. Joseph’s School. 

Flowers may be sent to Casada Funeral Home in Rawlins, WY – 702 West Walnut Street or donations to the First United Methodist Preschool in Rawlins, WY.