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Major Harold Herbert Thompson
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Obituary
Harold Herbert Thompson,
the son of Herbert Martin and Lena Birdella (Zong) Thompson, was born
October 30, 1910 near Herrick, South Dakota. He died September 18, 2000,
in Grand Island, Nebraska at the age of 89 years, 11 months and 18 days.
Harold lived in South
Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Texas and Arkansas. He graduated from
Belvidere High School and the University of Nebraska (1936). Following
graduation from college, he received an appointment to the 3rd U.S.
Infantry as a Lieutenant. He served as a company commander in the
Conservation Corps. In World War II, Harold served as a Captain and
Major in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was in the China-Burma-India
theater of war. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 3.
He married Alice Ada Wylie
on January 29, 1938. To this union was born one son, Richard W.
Thompson.
After World War II, Harold
and Alice settled on a acreage southeast of Lincoln, Nebraska. They
developed the Linview and Woodlawn Terrace residential subdivisions near
Lincoln. They also operated the Thompson Hobby Store. Harold
retired in 1975.
Harold was preceded in
death by his parents, Herbert and Lena Thompson and sister, Virginia
(Thompson) Barkmeier.
He is survived by his wife,
Alice Ada (Wylie) Thompson; son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Shirley
Thompson, Manitoba, Canada; grandchildren, Rachel Thompson, Bradley
Thompson and Matthew Thompson; brother W. Wayne Thompson, Bruning,
Nebraska; sister, Vivian (Thompson) Caples Eickhoff, Kansas City,
Missouri; nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held
Friday, September 22, 2000 at the Butherus, Maser & Love Chapel in
Lincoln, Nebraska with Pastor Lauren Ekdahl officiating. Interment was
at Lincoln Memorial Park in Lincoln, Nebraska with military graveside
services conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard.
Honorary pallbearer was
Dennis Caples. Pallbearers were Karl Schwabauer, Wayne Barkmeier,
Michael Miles, Duane Kirkpatrick, Loren Beckler and Dan Kerner. Services were conducted by the Butherus, Maser & Love Funeral Home, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Eulogy
Alice Ada (Wylie) Thompson will be remembered by
family and friends as a strong, determined woman who loved to read, do
crosswords, watch the news, and provide the questions for Jeopardy. She
made scrapbooks, saved things, was a prolific letter writer and note
keeper. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
Alice was born at Burchard, Nebraska on October
24th, 1914, the youngest child of the Rev. J. Bruce Wylie and Emma
Wylie. Prior to here death in 1915, Alice's mother Emma arranged for
Alice to live with George and Frances Lewis of Winside, Nebraska. She
was their only child. But Alice also grew up surrounded by her brothers
and sister, Bruce Wylie and his second wife Mabel.
Alice graduated from Winside High School in 1931.
She was an avid student with a keen intellect. Among her papers is a
diary entry about an academic competition she entered in the 8th grade.
She had placed 3rd in competition in Wayne and was worried about weather
preventing her from traveling to Lincoln for state competition. She got
there and place 4th. Alice went on to graduate from Nebraska Wesleyan
University in 1936 after which she taught at Cairo, Nebraska High
School.
On January 29, 1938 Alice married Harold Herbert
Thompson at the Lewis home. Her natural father, Rev. Wylie, presided.
As an officer's wife, Alice moved to Minnesota with
Harold. After that service, they briefly owned and operated a drug store
in Austin, Texas. When Harold was called back to active service, Alice
returned to teaching high school in Winside.
After the war Alice and Harold made Lincoln their
home. They operated a market garden on a small acreage for 20 years.
Their only son Richard was born in 1946 and has fond memories of his
rural upbringing with mixed emotions about the necessary chores -
feeding chickens and picking vegetables.
In the mid 1960's they sold the acreage as
residential lots and built a new home on a corner lot. Alice resided in
this home until she moved three blocks to the Homestead Health Care &
Rehabilitation Center in 2001.
Alice was involved in the PTA for many years and
kept volumes of clippings, photos and memorabilia; she was very active.
She served at the school, city and state levels and was the state
president from 1978-1971. She was honored with a lifetime membership in
the PTA and a lifetime of friendships.
Alice was also involved at Trinity United Methodist
Church. She taught in the Sunday school program for 14 years.
Just when she might have started to slow down,
Alice and Harold opened the Thompson Hobby Store on "O" Street. It was
the right business for her, an avid seamstress and crafter. She started
painting a showed her work in a 1983 Seniors Exhibition at the
governor's mansion.
In 1974 Alice became a grandmother, a role she
relished. She kept in close touch with her three grandchildren, Rachel,
Bradley and Matthew. A small shoebox full of letter from them is
indicative of the active correspondence between them.
A memory the children will always cherish is the
late August visits from Grandma and Grandpa. They would rent a cottage
in Riding Mountain National Park. The children would ride the bus to
meet them for a week of grandparent indulgence.
In 1992 tragedy struck - Harold has a stroke.
Alice's determination enabled her to care for him at home until his
death in 2000. In 2001 Alice's medical needs meant moving into the
Homestead Center nursing care facility where her pleasant disposition
and engaging smile won the hearts of many staff.
Alice lived in the same area of Lincoln for 58
years. She was part of a neighborhood that watched and cared for each
other. Alice died on November 13, 2003 and will be remembered for her strong will and optimism which served her well for 89 years. For Alice, the cup was always half full and she made the best of every situation. Alice we will miss you.
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