Edward Elmer Thompson (1932)

BROWN, THOMPSON

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:02

The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 16, 1932
Page 4, column 3

Edward Elmer Thompson

Edward Elmer Thompson was born at Carthage, Illinois, October 8, 1860 and died at his residence in Los Angeles, California, May 29. Funeral services were held in the W. A. Brown Mortuary Chapel, Los Angeles June 1.

Mr. Thompson had been in poor health for the past four years necessitating his retirement from the industry with which he had been identified for nearly half a century. March 8 he fell and broke his right leg. He came to Winterset, with his parents, when he was seven years old. When he was twenty-one he entered the service of the Bell Telephone system in which he remained for over forty-five years. Twenty-six of those years were spent in Iowa.

In that state he was located at the following towns in succession, Winterset, Perry, Fort Dodge, Boone and Des Moines at each point being the telephone company’s manager.

After leaving Des Moines in 1907 he came to California and at once thereafter entered Bell Service again by becoming manager of the Santa Barbara Exchange. He was transferred to the plant department and until 1911 was general foreman in that department for the Santa Barbara area. During 1911 he came to Los Angeles and entered the construction department here. In the next seventeen years he received several important assignments and his record of accomplishment in connection with them is an enviable one. His associates and superiors have complimented him upon his work in the rebuilding of the long lines through the Santa Ana Canyon. He finished his active career in Los Angeles, August 3, 1928.

Mr. Thompson was honored on November 12, 1924 at a banquet, being presented with a six star service button, in recognition of forty years of continuous service, with the Bell company. Again on October 16, 1928 a dinner was given him and the seven star button was presented for forty-five years service.

In August 1926 he was sent as a delegate to the Assembly of the Telephone Pioneers in New York City.

During his service in Iowa he was closely associated with George E. McFarland who later became president of the Pacific coast. Also with Charles E. Hall, superintendent of commercial department, located at Omaha, and who now resides in Los Angeles.

He is survived by his wife, Emma Brown Thompson, his daughter, Dorothy Thompson and his sister, Miss Lida Thompson.