Janis P. Thompson

Janis P. Thompson, 82, of Roaring Spring, passed away on March 10, 2026, at Homewood Living in Martinsburg, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. Born in Roaring Spring to the late Ray and Pearl (Burket) McNally, she spent her life defying expectations and forging her own path with remarkable determination.

On September 19, 1964, Janis married the love of her life, Thomas R. Thompson, who survives her. She is also survived by their children, Heidi (Loy) Kreider of Roaring Spring and Cornell (Jill) Thompson of Martinsburg. Janis was the proud “Nanny” to her grandchildren, Abby (Noah) Krehl, Adam (Samantha) Kreider, Kara (Jake Shepherd) Thompson, Aaron (Jaye Ratio) Kreider, and Kaitlyn Thompson, and the cherished great-grandmother of Kit, Nora, Baker, Calvin, and Lyndel. She was preceded in death by her sister, D. Eileen McNally.

A 1961 graduate of Central High School’s first graduating class, Janis was the first student to walk across its stage—a fitting beginning for a trailblazing life. She earned her Bachelor of Nursing from St. Joseph’s College of Maine and became a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner at the University of Pittsburgh in 1981, all while raising her young family at a time when such accomplishments were rare for women. She built a respected career at Nason Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, KB England Physician Practice, Cardiology Associates of Altoona, and the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center. At the Altoona VA, she created a women’s care program that provided female veterans with the specialized attention they deserved.

Fiercely independent, hardworking, resilient, and outspoken, Janis thrived in a man’s world long before it was common or easy to do so. A longtime member of the Roaring Spring First Church of the Brethren, she treasured more than five decades with her card club, who became lifelong friends. She found joy in gardening, cross-stitching, sewing, and quilting, and she rarely missed a game, concert, or event involving her grandchildren. Her family will carry her forward in the ways she taught them—by spending time outdoors, embracing what brings them joy without apology, and speaking their minds with honesty and courage.