Janet Thompson had a variety of vocations. She once helped run a church kindergarten. For 17 years she was a vacation travel consultant. She even baked cakes and cookies the past 10 years for a Midtown catering service called “The Joy of Not Cooking.”
But the theme that ran through her life was a decidedly musical one. As a church musician, she was a triple-threat — a talented organist, pianist and chorister.
Janet Greene Thompson, 80, of Austell died Wednesday at Tranquility Hospice of complications following a stroke. Her memorial service is 2 p.m. Sunday at Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington Street SW, Atlanta. Southcare Cremation & Funeral Society is in charge of arrangements.
A Druid Hills High School graduate, Thompson attended Oglethorpe University and Agnes Scott College, majoring in music, and polished her keyboard skills with private tutoring.
For 20 years she was music director and organist at Northwoods Presbyterian Church in Doraville. She also led the church kindergarten’s music program.
Dianne Johnson of Decatur, a former choir singer at the church, called Thompson an incredible director. It was amazing, Johnson said, how Thompson brought out the best in untrained voices and made a small choir sound so wonderful.
Years later, Thompson joined Central Presbyterian and sang in its choir. Dave VanderMeer, its director of music, said Thompson was a consummate musician.
“You could see in her eyes the joy that singing great music brought her,” he said.
He said Thompson quickly became a leader in her section who helped other second sopranos master difficult musical passages.
Central Presbyterian’s organist emeritus, Michael Morgan of Fairburn, praised Thompson’s generosity.
“When Janet and her husband, Bill, moved into Presbyterian Village several years ago, they decided to downsize. So she presented her grand piano to the Columbia Theological Seminary.”
Thompson also gave Morgan sheet music for many favorite organ and piano works, which he passed along to young organists and pianists.
In recent years Thompson played piano accompaniment at Presbyterian Village religious services, supporting fellow residents as they sang hymns.
Sally Shelton of Dunwoody worked with Thompson for most of Thompson’s career in travel.
“I was a newcomer to that business, and she taught me all she knew. Whether our clients wanted to go to Europe, the Caribbean or Hawaii, Janet had a wealth of knowledge about each area,” Shelton said.
Thompson made numerous trips abroad herself to inspect accommodations and attractions before recommending them to clients. Butchart Gardens outside Victoria, British Columbia, and artist Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France, were among her favorite places.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, William Thompson; two daughters, Ellen Thompson of Laurinburg, N.C., and Susan Cordell of Lawrenceville; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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