Dennis Arthur Thompson

Obituary

Dennis Arthur Thompson, 66, Garrison, died Friday, September 24th at Garrison Memorial Hospital.
Dennis was born January 15, 1938, at Finley, ND, to Arthur and Lillian (Moe) Thompson. He moved to Garrison, ND with his family in 1950 and graduated from Garrison High School in 1956. He attended Minot State Teacher's College and graduated from the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in Milwaukee, WI in 1958. He married Clara Marie Norquist on August 17, 1958 in Garrison. Dennis had first started to work in the funeral service as a sophomore in high school for the Heinle Funeral Home and Ambulance Service. After college graduation he continued to work for the Heinle Service until 1965 when the Thompson's purchased the business from A.E. Heinle. They then owned and operated the Thompson Funeral Home and Ambulance Service, selling the Ambulance Service to the city of Garrison in 1968. In 1976, they sold the funeral business for a two year period, and then re-purchased it in 1978, operating it until selling the business in 2001 to Ben and Collette Gehring. They had also operated a funeral chapel in Max, ND since 1990. He also worked at the Garrison Memorial Hospital as an x-ray technician and an orderly in the late 1950's and early 1960's, and for Garrison Insurance and Real Estate in the 1960's. He was a long-time member and past president of the Garrison Jaycees and received the Distinguished Service Award in 1964 & 1968 and placed 3rd in state competition in 1968. He was a long time member and past president of the North Dakota Funeral Director's Association. He was instrumental in organizing the North Dakota Ambulance Association and served as state president from 1968 1969. In the 1960's he served as a Red Cross First Aid Instructor and was also a member of the McLean County Red Cross Board. He was Garrison city treasurer for 2 years and a member of the Garrison City Council for 6 years, serving as president in 1970. He also served for many years as sexton of the Garrison City Cemetery and St. Nicholas Catholic Cemetery. In 1974, he purchased and co-owned Jack Monument Company of Minot with Jim Stephens of Garrison and they operated that business for several years before selling it. He joined the Garrison Fire Department in 1959 and served as Secretary / Treasurer for 10 years and was a life member and past president of the North Dakota Firemen's Association from 1979 1980. He was a member of the Garrison Nursing Home Board of Directors and later co-owned and served as administrator of the facility. He was also employed as a Deputy Sheriff for McLean County for more than 20 years. He served as Deputy Coroner & Coroner for McLean County for 20 years and was still serving until his death. He was a member of both the Garrison and Max Civic Clubs and was also a member of the Garrison Country Club. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves and the North Dakota National Guard for 6 years. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and past member of the church council, serving 3 years as president. He also had served as treasurer for the Camp of the Cross. Survivors are his wife, Clara, of Garrison; 2 sons and daughter-in-law, Kirby Thompson, of Apache Junction, AZ, and Jordan and Jayme Thompson of Minot, ND; 2 daughters and sons-in-law, Stacy and Maurice Ledin of Jefferson City, Missouri, and Lisa and David Stumvoll of rural Coleharbor, ND; 2 grandsons, Tristan & Brennan Thompson of Minot, ND; 3 granddaughters, Mandy, Stephanie, & Jessica Stumvoll of rural Coleharbor, ND; mother, Lillian Thompson of Garrison, ND; brother and sister-in-law, Arlin and Sylvia Thompson of Washburn, ND; sister-in-law Audrey Thompson & companion Ron Hummel; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lois and Chris Olson of Williston, ND, Judy and Duane Bjornson of Anchorage, AL, Janice and Darrel Gietzen of Minot, ND, Myrna Spoon of Marion, IL, and Myra Thompson of Grand Forks, ND. He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Thompson; brother, Truman Thompson; and grandson, Trevor Ledin. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the donor's choice. Services will be held on Tuesday, September 28th at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garrison with Pastor Dick Hendrickson officiating. Visitation will be held on Monday, September 27 from 9 to 9 at Thompson Funeral Home in Garrison. Burial will be at the Garrison City Cemetery.