Francis Leonard Thompson 1926-2005

THOMPSON, MORTENSEN, KLAUS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/1/2009 at 18:40:56

Francis Thompson
January 23, 1926-May 23, 2005

Francis L. Thompson, age 79 of Ute, Iowa, died Monday, May 23, 2005 in Ute.

Services were held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 26 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ute with Pastor Ed Brandt officiating. Burial was in St. Clair Cemetery, Ute, with military graveside honors by the American Legion Aaby Post #442 of Ute and the Ute V.F.W. Post #5605. Lynette Thies was the organist for the service and music was "Now Thank We All Our God", "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Beautiful Savior". A prayer service was held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Ute.

Francis Leonard Thompson, youngest child of Harold L. and Bessie E. (Mortensen) Thompson, was born south of Ute on January 23, 1926. He attended the Meadows School in Soldier Township. In 1933 the family moved to Ute where he attended the Ute Public School, from which he graduated in the class of 1944. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II, mostly overseas service in India, and also during the Korean War. He was married to Doris E. Klaus on June 4, 1950 in Ute. They made their home in Ute except for the time during the Korean War when they lived in Wisconsin. Francis owned and operated the Ute Lockers, a grocery store and meat processing operation, for nearly 30 years. He worked for the State of Iowa as a food inspector for 14 years.

Francis was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Ute. He served 46 years on the Ute Fire Department, ten years of which were served as Chief. He was a member of the Ute American Legion Aaby Post #442 since 1947, and was a past Commander. He was a charter member of the Ute V.F.W. Post #5605. He served 10 years on the Ute City Council. He served as Secretary Treasurer of the Soldier Valley Telephone Company for many years. He was a past President of the Iowa Refrigerated Locker Association.

Survivors include his wife, Doris; a daughter and three sons and their spouses; Carolyn and Thomas Harbaugh of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Lee and Carol of Cary, North Carolina, Myron of Omaha, Nebraska, and Gary and Julie also of Omaha, Nebraska; a sister, Rosella Stark of Portland, Oregon; nine grandchildren, Amy and Katie Harbaugh and Jessica Whetstone and her husband, Ian, Adam Thompson and his wife, Joanna, and Erin Thompson, Benjamin and Kevin Thompson, and Grace and Neil Thompson.

Francis was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Warren; and a daughter-in-law, Kristy Thompson.

Pallbearers were Adam Thompson, Kevin Thompson, Ben Thompson, Neil Thompson, Rich Justus and Pat Staley.

Arrangements were made under the direction of the Armstrong Funeral Home of Ute.

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