Obituary of Josephine Fauneil Penn Thomson

Josephine Fauneil Penn Thomson, age 97, passed away after a period of declining health on April 7th, 2020 in Cottonwood, Arizona. She was born at home in Wayne, Nebraska to Corabelle McGee Penn and French Penn in 1923. When Jo was 3, her mother developed TB and was sent to a sanitarium for 10 years, while she and her sisters were under the care of the Eastern Star Children's home in Fremont, Nebraska. During the depression, the family ran the Boyd Hotel in Wayne. Josephine taught in the Blair and North Platte, Nebraska schools during WWII under a provisional license. She then moved to Houston, Texas where she graduated from the University of Houston and taught elementary school. Married to Brian Thomson, they moved many times due to the oil industry lifestyle, settling in Phoenix in 1960. Josephine had many passions in life, preschool and music education, psychology, the work of Carl Jung, the readings of Edgar Cayce, astrology and spiritual exploration, bible study, natural foods and healing as a partial list. Divorced, she moved with her children to Pacific Grove, California for 7 happy years in the 1970s. Fate brought her back to Arizona and eventually life in Camp Verde where she found her calling, teaching violin with the Suzuki method in the Camp Verde schools and privately. In recent years she and her family have deeply appreciated the help and care of Kim McEachern, the rehab staff at The Haven of Cottonwood, Ingecare, and Country Care in Cottonwood. She was predeceased by her sister Opal Nelson, and survived by her older sister Edna Penn Higdon, as well as three children, Shona Thomson, Sheila Thomson and David Thomson (Chihiro Kinoshita Thomson), 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Her granddaughter Crystal Tripp Malinski was an important piece of her heart. We will miss your dancing wherever music is found, appreciation of adventure, fascination with the inner workings of the psyche, and fine example of thinking outside the box always. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to: The Foundation Music School, providing music therapy and lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado. https://secure.givelively.org/donate/foundation-music-school-inc or: The Masonic Eastern Star home for Children in Fremont, Nebraska which still cares for children in a group setting. https://www.meshc.org/giving.html