Gerald Thompson

Gerald Lee Thompson, 73, of St. Johns, Michigan and Silver City, New Mexico, passed away on Wednesday, 3 November 2010 at home in St. Johns, Michigan, after a short illness. He was born 22 March 1937 in Stillwater, Minnesota to Burnell F. and Alveda A. (Simonson) Thompson. He married to Mary Lou Hostetter on 22 March 1958 in Burlington, Iowa and they had four children; Kristen Leigh Thompson of Tucson, Arizona, Diana Lynn (Jackie) Thompson of Seattle, Washington, Gregory L. (Wendy) Thompson of Tucson Arizona and Geffory L. Thompson of Prescott, Arizona. He married current wife Doretta L. Waeiss (nee Owen) on 29 May 1993 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Imlay City, Michigan.

Gerry was a graduate of Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Minnesota in 1955, and attended Grinnell College in Iowa three years before graduating from Augustana Lutheran college, Rock Island, Illinois, with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in 1959. He followed this with a theological course at Augustana seminary for which he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity on 17 May 1963. Gerry was ordained on 6 June 1963 at Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. He also earned two Master Degrees, one in administration and the last one in communications.

Fresh out of Seminary he started and built Christ the Lord Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois; reorganized and built a new Trinity Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, Michigan; reorganized and chaired the Battle Creek Council of Churches; founder and first chair of Battle Creek Housing Development corporation; first executive director of Battle Creek Easter House; served on first leadership team of University of Michigan Hospital Development, Ann Arbor, Michigan; first bureau chief of support and general services, Ingham County Health Department, Lansing, Michigan; four year chair person for the Michigan coalition of Crimes and Delinquency, third vice president and director of development for World Neighbors, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; first vice president of development for Fort Worth and Cook County Children’s Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas. In retirement he was the founder and chairman for 7 years of the Gila Back County Horsemen’s Association in Silver City, New Mexico, four year chair of State Chapter of new Mexico Back County Horsemen, he also ran a sports program for the handicapped and an alcohol and drug treatment program for the Southern Ute Indian tribe both in Colorado.

He is survived by his children; Kristin, Diana, Greg and Geff; stepchildren Robert (Cyndi) Waeiss; Mark (Judy) Waeiss; Susan Maples; Jim Sylvan; and Allison and Nick; (Lindsey – deceased). Grandchildren; Tony Candelaria, Cameron Craemer, Tyler N. Thompson, Dillon G. Thompson, Warren W. Thompson and step grandchildren; Joshua Waeiss and Jordan Waeiss, and numerous nieces and nephews. Brother Wayne Burnell (Shirley) Thompson of Bayport, Minnesota; Sisters, Linda Carol (Dean) Lindstrom of New Richmond, Wisconsin and Joan Mae (Alvin) Vas sail of Miami, Florida, one Aunt, Marion Thompson of Bayport, Minnesota.

There will be a memorial service conducted by Pastor Richard Moe, at St. Paul Lutheran Church at 3383 E. Lake Lansing Rd., East Lansing, Michigan, 48823, on Saturday 13 November 2010 at 1:30 pm. Friends and family are invited to attend. Another memorial service will be conducted in Tucson for family and friends sometime in December.

Gerry had a long list of charities he gave to on a regular basis and his motto was, “We are blessed to be a blessing.” Let us continue with his work and be blessed to be a blessing.