Joel Lee Thompson

Mr. Joel Lee Thompson passed away on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, only 4 days after the love of his life and wife of 62 years passed. They were high school sweethearts and had spent their entire lives together. We believe he died of a broken heart. As their grandson Jake said, “They are together in heaven with Roscoe (their beloved Jack Russel Terrier) and couldn’t be happier.”

Services will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Snow’s at Macon Memorial Park. The family will great friends from 2 PM until service time at 3 PM. Please feel free to dress down for the service. It will be a joint service for both Joel and Dianne as it should be. It will be held entirely inside and Joel will be honored for his military service. Dress will be business casual or for us country folks, Wednesday night service.

Mr. Thompson (Joel) was born on March 22,1942 in War, West Virginia to the late Cordele Clyde Thompson of Atlanta and Augusta Belle Duncan of West Virginia. He was preceded in death by his wife Dianne Bulloch Thompson by only four days. Joel was also preceded in death by all of his 5 siblings, William Thompson, Robert Thompson, Betty Thompson Mattarrazo, Jane Thompson and Jack Thompson. He was also preceded in death by nephews Terry Thompson, Jackie (Tommy) Thompson and Micheal Mattarazzo.

Joel is survived by his two children, Dr. Mark G. Thompson of Atlanta and Darla H. Shelley of Dublin and precious grandchildren Jake K. Hardeman and Chloe J Shelley, both of Dublin. Close nephew Ricky Mattarazzo (Carol) of Billerica, Massachusetts and Marcia Thompson of Evans, Georgia along with many nieces, grandnieces, nephews, grandnephews and friends.

Joel grew up in Atlanta and played football and ran track at Hoke Smith High School. His first date with Dianne was at the Shamrock Ball in March of 1960, a few months before graduation. Joel joined the US Navy and headed to California and Dianne started Nursing School on a full scholarship to Grady Nursing School. By March of 1963, Joel was on a plane to meet his bride-to-be. They were married in the chapel on March 20, 1963 (which is the first day of Spring.) They were stationed in various places but most memorably in Hawaii.

Joel served nearly 13yrs in the Navy and Navy Reserves and retired as Chief Petty Officer. His last assignment was at Atlanta Naval Air Station in Marietta, Ga where he and Dianne and their 2 children settled in Conyers. After the Navy, Joel found his niche in real estate and obtained his real estate broker’s license selling residential and commercial real estate. He and Dianne also discovered that they had a talent for restoring historic homes. Although Joel built a number of residential homes, their passion was in historic restoration. During this time, Dianne had been nursing but decided to try her hand in residential real estate and she excelled as well.

Many notable homes in the historic district of Conyers were restored by them. A huge house on Main Street, the old theatre building in olde towne and the family’s favorite 1004 Green Street. It was built in 1909 and Joel knew it was the next restoration when he fell through the front porch. The family moved in and lived there for 6 years. Joel and Dianne restored/remodeled and built homes in Oak Hill, Mansfield, Mableton, Jackson, McDonough and Tybee Island, Georgia. His largest restoration is the old theatre building that sits as the anchor on McDonough Square that he aptly named Clay Plaza after the man who originally built it. It was a huge undertaking but one he did truly enjoy until the market crashed in 1988. The best part was that the main floor of the plaza had small shops and a popular lunch spot Dianne and his Mark ran called the Garden Room. To his Darla, the best part was the penthouse on top of the building. With its floor to ceiling pink tile and glass block bathroom to the hardwood floors and 360 degree view of Henry County it was a very special space!

The real estate which Joel thought would be a sort of early retirement, turned into a new adventure. Dianne accepted a position with The Georgia Department of Corrections in 1989, and soon she was offered a job with GDC and they moved to Savannah. They found a little house on Tybee Island, and it needed some work. Between getting his HVAC license and trolling the south river in his old boat held together by duct tape and surf fishing, he remodeled that little cabin into a comfy house. Years later, Dianne would be promoted to the Training Division with GDC and that meant moving back up north. It wasn’t long before they found an old farm house on the outskirts of McDonough that would officially bring Joel out of his pseudo retirement. They spent several years fixing up that old farm house and the land surrounding it, until it was as beautiful as the other homes they breathed new life into.

In 2005, Dianne retired and it was time to get some land and build a house they would retire in. They found 12 acres in Monroe County on the Towaliga River just south of the Falls at High Falls State Park. They divided the land into three, 4 acre lots to include a spot for Darla and Mark.

Darla and her family lived next door for the next 14 years. Mark’s land remains wooded and untouched as he has spent most of the last 20 years traveling across the world for his career. During the 17 years they lived in their house on the river, they bought an RV (which they upgraded a few times) and spent time traveling across the country from military base to military base with their beloved Jack Russel Terrier, Roscoe who lived to be 19 years old.

In November of 2024, they decided to sell the house and move to a retirement home and had their eye on several in the Macon area. The house sold very quickly and they chose a great place to start what would be their last adventure. In January, Dianne’s health began to fade. Nothing in particular but weakness and falls with several short stints in the hospital. Joel took care of her and in late June it began to feel like she was ready to go home. The family was heartbroken but she was calm and seemed ready. Joel was devastated when hospice was called in a few days before she passed. He could not get beyond the loss of her. As much as we all tried to console him, he died quietly 4 days later to be with his Dynee. They both lived a long, adventurous life working alongside each other, traveling to new places and enjoying the time they were given. Then, the lord called them home together, seeing that their love was inseparable.

Joel’s grandchildren were very special to him. Jake being autistic needed special attention through the years. They developed a strong bond and were truly buddies. Living in Monroe County, there’s nothing quite like

Friday night football at Mary Persons High School. Hardly a home game was missed by the family. Teenage and then young man, Jake planned special outings for his Poppie that usually included the RV store in Byron, Bass Pro Shoppes and lunch. He never came home without a bottle of his favorite Dr. Pepper. Born 10 years later, Chloe was the princess and certainly just as spoiled as her brother. She enjoyed spending time with her Grandmommie.