Wayne Thompson

Wayne Thompson died peacefully Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at home in his bedroom after a yearlong battle with a brain tumor. He was best known for his permanent smile and infectious laugh. Wayne loved people. He never met a person (or a horse) he didn't like. Wayne never met a day he didn't like. He was a man who loved life and let everyone know it. Wayne was born in Modesto, CA on March 26, 1927 to Walter and Mary Thompson. Wayne and his family moved around California operating various family businesses. The family lived in Ceres, Modesto, Livermore, Tracy, Willits, and finally settled in Santa Rosa, CA where they started a well drilling business, Weeks Drilling and Pump Co., that remains a family run company today. Wayne served in the Navy as a cook at the end of World War II. After his time in the Navy, he returned home and met his wife of 60 years, Jeannine Ullstrom Thompson. They were married in 1949 and lived in Sonoma County until 1982 when Wayne retired. Wayne served as Sales Manager for the family company until his retirement. People around Sonoma County would remember "Wayne the Water Dowser" running around their property with a forked willow branch locating the perfect spot to drill a water well. He was very proud of his ability to locate underground water by dowsing. In fact, he commented that he would like to be remembered as a dowser who could find water in difficult areas. Wayne was such a successful dowser that he was written up in Smithsonian Magazine. He was also a member of the American Dowsing Society. Like his father, Wayne was also a cowboy. He loved to ride horses and particularly enjoyed his many rides with the Sonoma County Trailblazers and the many friends he made there. After retirement, he and his wife moved to Southern California to be nearer to his favorite spot on earth, Posada Concepcion, in Baja. For the past 22 years, Claremont was home. Wayne belonged to numerous civic organizations. He was a Shriner, served on the Sebastopol Parks and Recreation Committee, Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival Organizing Committee, Sonoma County Trailblazers, Pomona Valley TriCity Council, CAMI, Marshall Canyon Mounted Auxiliary Unit, and helped to found BIACO Club in Pomona, an organization to assist mentally ill patients and their families. Wayne also belonged to the Claremont branch of the Smudgers. They met most mornings over coffee near the corner of Yale and 1st Street to discuss world events and argue about whose turn it was to pay. Wayne is preceded in death by his father Walter (1959) and his mother just recently (April 2009) and by his oldest son Gregory (2001). Wayne is survived by his wife, Jeannine Thompson of Claremont; his daughter, Lori Connolly (Philip) of Lake Arrowhead; his son, Barton Thompson of Claremont; daughter-in-law, Lin Thompson of Graton; his brother, Jerry Thompson (Joyce) of Sebastopol, CA; brother Robert Thompson (Jocelyn) of Santa Rosa, CA; brother Ward Thompson (Pat) of Santa Rosa, CA; grandson Ryan Connolly (Elizabeth) of Beverly Hills; granddaughter Erin Whitfield (Steve) of Oxford, NC; grandson, Brandon Connolly of San Diego; grandson Austin Connolly of Shell Beach; granddaughter, Alexandra Connolly of Carlsbad; grandson, Sean Thompson of Graton; and his great-granddaughters, Elisa Connolly and Katherine Whitfield. In addition, Wayne is survived by many more nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and cousins. Friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service to celebrate Wayne's life on Saturday, May 30, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. at the Claremont United Methodist Church, 211 West Foothill Blvd. in Claremont, CA, where Wayne and Jeannine were members. In lieu of flowers, donations in Wayne's memory may be made to Visiting Nurse Assn. and Hospices of Claremont, who did an excellent job of caring for Wayne in the latter stages of his life. The address is VNA and Hospice, 150 West 1st Street, Suite 270, Claremont, Ca. 91711.