Lynette Joanne Thompson

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Lynette Joanne Thompson, born November 21, 1946, and peacefully departed on September 25, 2025. Lynette was a beloved mother, grandmother, and cherished friend whose life touched many. She was a devoted mother to her daughter, Beth Patton (Orlando, FL), son-in-law Demarick, and a proud grandmother to Caydence, Raquel, and Sienna. She was also a second mother to a chosen few, offering guidance, support, and unconditional love to those who affectionately called her "Mrs. T."

Lynette is preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy and Cassel Shenk (Palmyra, PA), her husband, Dr. Ted Thompson, and granddaughter, Ashlyn Jenna Patton.

It was Lynette's nurturing spirit and generous heart that left such a lasting impact on her community and set an example for her family. Her life was one of unmatched service and loving sacrifice. While she was a passionate advocate for the causes she believed in - including the Guardian Ad Litem Program and Moms Demand Action - nursing remained her primary focus throughout her life. With her roots deep in nursing, Lynette continued to find ways to care for others by volunteering her time at Children's Minnesota, as a health aide at Bel Air Elementary School, as an Occupational Therapy Aide in Mounds View schools, and as a parish nurse for St. Philip's Lutheran Church.

While she was best known for her boundless volunteering, Lynette's generosity led to the creation of the Thompson Healing Garden at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, a nursing scholarship to help educate the next generation of nurses, and the funding of a position for a nature-based therapist at St. Paul Children's Hospital. One of her proudest moments was learning that her eldest granddaughter, an honors student at Auburn University, had been accepted into their nursing program and would be following in her footsteps.

Lynette trained and became a certified Master Gardener. Always focused on helping others, she used her skills to become a founding member of the Community Garden Task Force at St. Philip's. In this Community Garden, volunteers grow several hundred pounds of fruits and vegetables each season to stock shelves at local food pantries. At Nativity Lutheran Church, she redesigned the church's front entry and planned and implemented workshops devoted to environmental sustainability.

Lynette had a passion for sewing and considered it her "fun" hobby. Because finding ways to help others was never far from her thoughts, she used her love of sewing to create colorful quilts, and then donated them to local fundraisers. She also sewed hospital gowns for stuffed animals as a way to help pediatric patients at St. Paul Children's Hospital feel safer. Her sewing even went international when she began making menstrual pads for "Days for Girls International," a program that allows girls to attend school all month long.

She was fearless in her belief in quality of life at the end of life and was a member of the local Death Cafe. She also served as a co-leader of a seven-week series on End of Life Wishes as well as a series on depression.

Lynette leaves a legacy of compassion, dedication, strength, service, and kindness to be remembered and treasured by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her life was a testament to the enduring power of love and kindness. She will be dearly missed but forever honored in the hearts of her family and friends.

A memorial service will occur at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel on October 10th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., with a reception following.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Moms Demand Action, a nonpartisan movement that advocates for gun violence prevention, or St. Paul Children's Hospital.