Allen Thompson

Glenn Allen Thompson peacefully succumbed to his short battle with leukemia on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at his home in Sanger. The son of Robert Alden Thompson and Clara Louise (Wiseman) Thompson, Allen was born on August 13, 1943 in Dalhart, Texas.

Following high school and then college, he met the love of his life, Diane Louise Porter and they were married on July 27, 1967 in Dalhart. They were involved in farming and ranching in the Dalhart and Hartley area where their two children were born. He moved his family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1976, where he obtained his Wyoming Broker License. He never missed an opportunity in the winter to go out with the ski patrol to do avalanche control in Teton Village, or help with the roping and rough stock events at the Jackson Hole Rodeo. He also enjoyed ranch work and feeding hay to cows in the winter with a sled and a team of four horses. After six years, the family moved back to Texas where he once again followed his dream of being a cowboy. They eventually settled in Channing where both children finished high school.  

Allen was a cowboy in every sense of the word, and he loved ranching. He was a vibrant person and enjoyed helping young cowboys and cowgirls at the high school level while his daughter Shelley was a competitor. He served as Director of the Texas High School Rodeo Association as well as the Tri-State High School Rodeo Association and was a member of the National Old Timers Rodeo Association. He served as a volunteer for the LaRita Theater Board in Dalhart, and also followed his son Trampas in his acting pursuits. He would laugh about all the Shakespeare performances he had attended. He and Diane participated in many Cowboy Poetry Events and served on the Board for the Nara Visa Cowboy Reunion. He would set up the Chuck Wagon to brand his calves and also for parties and weddings on neighboring ranches. Often you could find him driving his mule team around town or in parades, or using his light driving team of grey geldings for weddings.

Allen and Diane moved to Sanger to be closer to the grandchildren and were members of the Ridin’ For The Brand Cowboy Church where Allen had served as an elder. Though he was a hard-working man, he certainly made time to enjoy and experience life. He was known to be quite the character and could light up a room with his presence and joyful laugh.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Those who remain to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Diane of Sanger; a daughter, Shelley Lessert and husband Dan of Carrollton; a son, Trampas Thompson and wife Jamie of Ojai, CA; three grand-daughters, Drew Elizabeth Lessert, Darcy Elaine Lessert and Daphne Eleanor Lessert of Carrollton; three brothers Bob Thompson and wife Barbara of Hartley, Bruce Thompson and wife Verena of Granbury, and Sam Thompson and wife Jeanne of Amarillo. Numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, many wonderful friends and of course his good dog, Pepper.

Memorial services for Allen will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Ridin’ For The Brand Cowboy Church, 5926 FM 455, Sanger, TX 76266. Pastor Roger Marsh will officiate the services.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Ridin’ For The Brand Cowboy Church, 5926 FM 455, Sanger, TX 7626

Coker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and online condolences may be made to www.cokerfuneralhome.com.