Norma Nettie White Thompson 1921 - 2009

THOMPSON, JOHNSON, WHITE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/22/2019 at 21:42:14

Sioux City Journal
27 April 2009

CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa -- Norma N. Thompson, 88, a resident of Woodbury County for most of her life, passed away April 24, 2009, at the Correctionville Nursing and Rehab Center.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church in Correctionville, with Pastor Sheryl Ashley officiating. Burial will be beside her husband in Fairfield Cemetery at Rock Branch. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and an Eastern Star service at 7 p.m., all at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Anthon, Iowa.

Norma Nettie White, daughter of Millard Wilbern and Nettie Alma (Johnson) White, was born March 18, 1921, in Kedron Township near Anthon, Woodbury County, Iowa. She grew up in the Anthon community and graduated from Anthon Public High School in 1940. She liked to share her memories of walking to country school with neighbors and friends, sometimes a distance of several miles.

She moved to California in 1942, where she lived with her aunt, Emma Johnson, in Los Angeles, and worked at the May Company. She married Fred B. Thompson on Feb. 15, 1943, in Hollywood, Calif. They later lived in Orlando, Fla., and El Paso, Texas, while Fred was in the Army. The couple returned to Iowa and farmed northwest of Anthon until 1967, when they bought a home in Rock Branch. Norma suffered a stroke in December 1999, which affected her vision, so she spent her last years living in Correctionville, first in her own home, then at Valley Lodge Assisted Living and since January 2008 at the Correctionville Nursing and Rehab Center.

Norma, a stay-at-home mom while her children were growing up, held several part-time jobs outside her home over the years. She worked in the Snack Bar at K-Mart, at Zenith, in housekeeping at Sunrise Manor, all in Sioux City, and was a waitress in a cafe at Moville. She also worked many years at the polls in Rutland Township in Woodbury County elections. She and Fred traveled extensively in their retirement including trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, and to see the Great Wall of China.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her the most joy in her life. She had the knack of making each one feel special even when the family grew quite large. For years she made special angel food birthday cakes for everyone in the family, a tradition that was missed when she was no longer able to bake.

She was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church in Anthon. She was very proud of her long-time membership in Thonna Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, at Anthon, having served as Worthy Matron in the mid-1960s, being honored for the best attendance in her chapter.

Survivors include her children, Carol Carter of Ankeny, Iowa, Mrs. Mark (Joan) Meister and Doug (Shirley) Thompson of Correctionville; Norm (Laura) Thompson of Bowerville, Minn., Steve (Sheryl) Thompson of Sioux City, and Mrs. Beau (Sandy) Ruleaux of Storm Lake, Iowa; 21 grandchildren, Dixie Thompson and fiancee, Tim Wilson of Napa, Calif., Mrs. Tim (Cara Carter) Hulick of Indianola, Iowa, Jimmy Carter of Ankeny, Mrs. Gary (Suzy Meister) Meiners of Sioux Falls, S.D., Darren (Steph) Meister of Sioux City, Mrs. Jesse (Tara Thompson) Pedersen of Lawton, Iowa, Lacy Thompson and fiancee Tyler Allen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Abby Thompson of Wayne, Neb., Shane (Shannon) Thompson of Wyoming, Mrs. Mike (Cammy Thompson) Brown of California, Josh, JeanMarie, Jenna, Jessica and Jerica Thompson of Minnesota, Mrs. Tony (Bree Thompson) Manderscheid of Des Moines, Mrs. Ben (Brook Thompson) Anderson of Sioux City, William Thompson of Ames, Iowa, Ryan (Summer) Brauninger of Correctionville, Kady Brauninger of Cherokee, and Beau (Heather) Brauninger of Correctionville; 15 great-grandchildren, Kailey, Morgan and Kathryn Hulick, Ashley Meiners, Allison Meister, Cade, Kyle and Jake Pedersen, Bailey and Rikki Thompson, Brook Thompson, Blake Brown, Sydney and Colin Brauninger and Chloe Brauninger; three sisters, Vertress Fitzpatrick of Minnesota, Doris Omvig of Urbandale, Iowa, and Betty Card of Sioux City; a brother-in-law, Walter Thompson of Moville; sisters-in-law, Ruth White and Trudy Thompson, both of Sioux City; plus many other very special family members and friends, including Fred Brauninger, who were very supportive during her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 2002; a son, Fred Owen in 2007; a granddaughter, Ann Cherié Thompson in 1971; her brother, George "Kenneth" White; nieces, Virginia White Butler, Carla White, Patricia Fitzpatrick Dondelinger and Geraldine Fitzpatrick Koch; nephews, Gerald Francis Fitzpatrick and Dennis White; and a son-in-law, Larry Carter.

Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.