Patsy Jean Thompson

Patsy Jean "Dembowski" Thompson passed away peacefully in the company of her husband and children on May 30, 2025, at Canterfield Retirement Community in Oak Ridge, TN.
Pat was born January 31,1933, in her grandmother's house in Oshkosh Wisconsin to Jerome and Irene (Brueske) Dembowski. She spent her early years and received her elementary education in Oshkosh. Later, her family moved to Waubay, South Dakota, where her family raised mink. She graduated from Waubay High School in 1950. After high school she worked for Bell Telephone in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Later she enrolled at Presentation College School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1955. She also took graduate courses at South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota. She began her nursing career at her alma mater, St Lukes Hospital in Aberdeen, later at Bowdle, Estelline, Clear Lake Hospital and Philip Hospital, all in South Dakota, and Canby Hospital in Minnesota. She also served as nursing supervisor at St Ansgar hospital in Moorhead, MN and was a nurse at the Barnesville Clinic and after retirement for Hospice.
During her college years at Presentation School of Nursing in Aberdeen, she met the love of her life and life long partner, Ed Thompson, who was a student at Northern State University. December 28, 1955 they were united in marriage at the Catholic church in Pat's home town of Waubay, SD. They were united in marriage just 7 months short of 70 years. To this union were born five children: Terri, Tamara, Michael, Lori, and Lisa. The family later expanded to 15 grandchildren and at last count 27 great- grandchildren. She became a Catholic at the time of her marriage in 1955 and belonged to the various Catholic churches in the communities where they resided. She was most recently a member of St Therese Catholic Church in Clinton, Tennessee. After retirement she lived at Pickerel Lake in Minnesota, Hilton Head Island, SC and Oak Ridge TN.
She was devoted to her husband and family and enjoyed various activities with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Pat enjoyed the outdoors and was taught by her dad to hunt and fish at an early age. During her early years she enjoyed horseback riding and was an avid equestrian. Later in life she took to kayaking and paddled the streams and lakes of Minnesota and South Carolina. She loved music and sang in church choirs, was in a singing group while in nurses training, and later in life was a member of the Mountain Strings, playing both the dulcimer and ukulele. She was also an accomplished seamstress and needle pointer, and an excellent quilter, having made quilts for each of her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, mother, sister Nancy and son-in-law Jonathan Peterson.
She is survived by her husband Ed, daughters Terri (Dave Felde), Tamara (Tim Becker), Lori Peterson, Lisa Turner, son Michael (Lori) and sister Carol Rudy.
During her last days she was under the care of U T Hospice and we wish to express our gratitude to them for all the services they extended, especially to Kayla and the tender loving care she provided to all of us.
Funeral services will be held at St Theresa's Catholic Church, Clinton TN on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM, with visitation starting at 12:00. Internment will be at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, Knoxville TN on Friday, June 6 at 8:30 AM.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Weatherford Mortuary of Oak Ridge, TN