Doyle Thompson Jr.

Doyle Raymond Thompson Jr., a loving husband and father of four children and ten grandchildren, passed away on September 3, 2022 in Arizona after a battle with cancer. He was 74 years old. Doyle was born on June 18, 1948 in Exeter, Ca to Doyle Raymond Thompson and Marie (Berna) Thompson. At the time, his dad was a mechanic and his mom was a housewife. His father was in an industrial accident in Blythe, Ca that was fatal when Doyle Jr. was 8 years old. This made Marie go into the work field, and Doyle Jr. became the man of the house.

At a young age, Doyle became an entrepreneur. First, he started a paper route. Then later, he started working in the agricultural fields, moving sprinklers and picking fruits and vegetables. He worked at Coleman’s in Porterville, a popular fast-food restaurant right across from the high school he attended. He eventually met Ginger Bevins, who became his first wife, and they had Doyle and Katie. He was a wrecking yard owner at this time. Around this time, he became interested in fighting roosters. He and his brothers took to this like nothing else. They fought roosters wherever they could and with anyone that would challenge them. Because of this love and that it was legal in Arizona, he leased a large legal rooster fighting facility from Jesse Faulkner in Ehrenberg, Arizona. Eventually, Doyle was given the opportunity to buy Copper State in Avondale/Goodyear, Arizona in 1983 and jumped on the deal. He stayed there for several years until the state wanted to buy his property. He then bought property adjacent to the original pit he leased in Ehrenberg, Az in 1989 on Sourdough Road. During the construction, he started everything in a circus tent. Just like him, everything was bigger than life if he was involved. He eventually completed the largest legal rooster fighting pit in the United States. Copper State was a successful business venture that combined his love of business and roosters. It is what made him known in the Ehrenberg area which led him to meet his wife Lisa, with whom he was with for over 30 years. With Lisa, he gained a son, Rusty Jones, and together they had Sadie Grace Thompson. Doyle tried to give back to the community in many ways. He served on the Quartzsite School Board and he was on the Ehrenberg Fire Board of Directors.

Doyle never stopped loving the area where he came from, Lindsay, Ca, where he owned land, grew olive trees, and ran bars with his brothers. Eventually he relocated to Springville, Ca, where he bought a house and eventually the Springville Ranch (Big White Barn) Horse Racing Facility. At this location, he opened it for business as a wedding and party venue.

Everything was good until rooster fighting was outlawed in 1999. At this time, Doyle being the business man that he was, had to make adjustments. So, he became a car salesman, mobile home/RV park owner, and later a goat and cattle rancher, which were passions he dabbled in at a younger age but did not have the time to perfect.

In the end, Doyle had perfected every art he sought: the father, the husband, the brother, the friend, the business man, the rooster fighter, the salesman, the cattleman, the landlord, the showman, the protector and provider of those without or less fortunate. He would give anyone a cup of water, a cantaloupe, or a plate of food.

Doyle was a charismatic man who would light up the room with his smile and huge personality. He was a fighter that never gave up or went against his people, friends, family or associates. His family will remember him as a hard-working, honest, and caring man. Doyle’s stories will continue to be told throughout the years of all his life adventures.

Doyle was preceded in death by his father, Doyle Sr., his mother, Marie, and his two brothers, Fred and Tommy Joe. Doyle is survived by his wife, Lisa Thompson, his four children, Doyle (April) Thompson, Katie (Mckenna) Carver, Rusty (Rosa) Jones, and Sadie (Robert) Grimes, his ten grandchildren, his sister Marylou and many nieces and nephews.

Please join us in celebrating his life on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 4 pm at the Guinn Ranch in Terra Bella, California. Please call or text 661-340-8523 or 623-570-1431 for more information.

Another celebration of life will be held Saturday, November 19th, 2022 at 2pm in Arizona at Ehrenberg Community Park, 49480 Ehrenberg Poston Hwy., Ehrenberg, Arizona. Please call or text 623-570-1431 for more information.