Joan M. (Maiers) Thiel, 79, of Lititz, died peacefully on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at United Zion Home in Lititz PA.

She was born May 18, 1932 in La Grange IL, the daughter of the late Matthias and Clara (Weber) Maiers. After graduating from Nazareth Academy in La Grange in 1950, she worked as a secretary for Commonwealth-Edison in Chicago for 4 years. On Oct. 16, 1954, she married Robert E. Thiel.

Joan and Robert lived in a number of Midwest locations and in Newport, Vermont before coming to Lititz in 1977.

She worked as the accounts payable clerk at Anderson Bakery in Lancaster from 1982-1994. After her retirement, she and her husband enjoyed traveling and visiting relatives and friends throughout the far West and Midwest.

Joan was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Lititz.

She enjoyed the activities and fellowship of the Silver Liners, the seniors' club. Joan also belonged to the Legion of Mary and the Ladies' Bible study group, as well as helping with Christmas bazaars and the parish bereavement ministry. She was also a volunteer teacher/helper of crafts at Moravian Manor. For 6 years she and her husband volunteered weekly delivering Meals on Wheels. Joan enjoyed llloootttsss of sewing, knitting and quilting; her fingers were always moving.

Joan was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She took pride in her homemaking skills. When her sons were young, she served as a Cub Scout den mother and Webelos leader as well as a CCD teacher and encouraged them in all their school and sports activities.  Later she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. In October 2004, she and Robert celebrated their 50 ^th anniversary with their family.

Besides her husband, Joan is survived by 4 sons: John of Lititz, Peter and his wife Jill O'Brien of Smyrna GA, Brian and his wife Joanne Schwab of Missouri City TX and Gordon and his wife Jennifer Guyette of Cherry Hill NJ; 3 grandchildren: Caitlin, Robert and Henry; 2 sisters: Alice Polivka of Burr Ridge IL and Anne Schwerdt of Prescott AZ and by many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; her daughter Jeanne; 3 sisters: Sister Joan Clare (nee Dorothy) Maiers CSJ, Elizabeth Skidmore and Marian Finnerin; and her brother John J. Maiers.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 10:30AM at St. James Catholic Church 505 Woodcrest Avenue Lititz, PA with The Rev. James O'Blaney C.Ss.R., as Celebrant. Visitation will be from 4-6:30PM on Wednesday at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 3110 Lititz Pike and again at the church on Thursday from 9:30-10:30AM. Interment will be in Longenecker Cemetery, Warwick Twp. To send the family an online condolence, please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 717-560-5100