Marie Kirkham Thompson

1926 - 2025

Marie K Thompson

1926-2025

Orem, UT-Marie Kirkham Thompson passed away on April 14, 2025 at the age of 99. She was born in Salt Lake City and was the youngest of four children belonging to Mary Ethel Wright and Ebenezer John Kirkham. Marie grew up in the city but spent her summers with relatives in Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, which grew her sense of adventure.

Marie graduated from Brigham Young University in 1949 with a bachelors degree in Home Economics and became a Home Demonstration Agent in rural Wyoming for 10 years. She taught homemaking skills and supported 4-H programs. She also got a master's degree in Extension Education at Columbia University Teachers College in New York City in 1956. She was well known in Wyoming, and enjoyed a career that was unusual for someone of her generation. Marie transferred to the University of Wyoming in Laramie in 1958 and a year later married agriculture professor Robert Charles Thompson.

Marie and Bob continued adventurous times as they followed Bob's career in Afghanistan, Uganda, and Nepal, as well as Oregon, Wyoming, and Idaho. Marie's professional experience was of great benefit in their overseas assignments, where she taught food safety classes and provided a safe place for Peace Corps volunteers to recover from illness and injury. She later returned to her professional life, as a University of Idaho Extension Agent and Professor.

Marie and Bob retired in Sandy, Utah, where they enjoyed a more settled life. They loved their neighbors and their fellow Indian Ridge Ward members. Marie enjoyed home life and did a 20 year long service mission at the Bishop's Storehouse. She also became another grandmother to their neighbors, the Bob and Judy Cash family. Marie and Bob enjoyed spending their last years at Covington Senior Living in Orem, Utah. We are deeply grateful to the wonderful staff at Covington for their loving care of Marie after Bob passed away in 2023.

Marie is survived by her children Charmaine Thompson and Harold (Kathi) Thompson and her beloved grandchildren Kirk (Sarah) Thompson, Sean (Blair) Thompson, Alex (Savannah) Thompson, Kristina Southwick (Evan), Leah Thompson and Nicole Thompson. She also leaves behind 10 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and her adopted Cash family. She loved every one of you.

Family and friends are invited to an Open House on Saturday, June 7 between 1 and 4 pm at 5118 North Oak Creek Drive, Eagle Mountain, Utah. There will also be a brief graveside service on Tuesday, June 10 at 10:00 am at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, near the intersection of Cyprus and Cedar Avenues.