Roger Borah Thompson

1940 - 2024

Roger Borah Thompson

May 5, 1940 - August 5, 2024

Pacific Beach, WA

(formerly of Palisades, WA)

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye (for now) to a wonderful man who made such an impact on his family and friends. Roger passed away on August 5, 2024, from complications of a stroke. His legacy will live on in all who knew him. Roger was born in Twin Falls, ID, to John Leroy Thompson and Bessie (Welch) Thompson. While times were hard growing up, young Roger had many adventures in his small hometown. These adventures often included his brothers, Leroy and Rick, and sister, Melissa. Roger was always there to help those in need, including helping his grandmother, even if it meant long hours after school to help with the 80-acre family farm. While not the biggest kid in town, Roger held his own and was a defender of all.

Upon graduation, a pretty young lady by the name of Barbara Matthews caught Roger's eye. And before you knew it, they began their 64-year journey together in the Twin Falls area of Idaho. It was here that they welcomed their first born son, Lloyd, in 1960. Soon after, Mark, Stacey, and Karma made their family complete. The young family set off for Washington state in 1967, settling in Wenatchee, WA. Roger worked for Doré Interiors as an upholsterer. He continued his upholstery work, eventually opening his own shop with Barbara. In 1976, the family moved to Palisades, WA, where Roger continued his upholstery work, along with an orchard and hay farming. Life in the Wenatchee Valley included many a weekend at the East Wenatchee Super Oval, as well as other race tracks in the vicinity. Dining out options were limited in those days, and Roger and Barb would often pack up the kids and head out for fish and chips. Did it matter that they had to drive across the mountains to Seattle for such a tasty treat? When you're a Thompson, that was no big deal! Soon, the call of the coast led to many trips to Pacific Beach, WA, where the family would often stay at the Sandpiper Motel. Wanting a more permanent place to relax and enjoy the cool air of the beach, Barbara and Roger purchased and renovated an old Baptist Church in 1993. Over the years, this vacation home provided countless hours of fun for the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids, collecting shells on the beach, exploring the forests, making s'mores over an open fire on the beach, and watching countless beautiful sunsets. Wanting to escape the heat of Wenatchee summers, Roger and Barb made Pacific Beach their permanent home in 2019.

Roger was preceded in death by his grandparents: John Thompson and Amanda (Norton) Thompson; his parents: Leroy Thompson and Bessie (Thompson) Smith; step-father, Everett Smith; and older brother, Lee. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Barbara; children: Lloyd (Mary) Thompson of East Wenatchee, WA, Stacey (Shaun) Klebold of Fort Valley, VA, Mark (Karen) Thompson of Maple Valley, WA, and Karma Thompson of East Wenatchee, WA. Roger's memory is also carried on by his grandchildren: Amy (Zac) Woolbright, Keri (Joe) Baker, Collin (Brittney) Klebold, Isabelle (Caleb) Heater, Owen Klebold, Jake (Morgan) Thompson, Jason (Amanda) Thompson, Ashton Thompson, Allie (Jordan) Epstein, Jonathan (Dulce) Wallace, Joel (Anzhelika) Wallace. Roger's legacy will also live on through his great-grandchildren: Tanner, Logan, Jordyn, Brooklynne, Ilene, William, Hazel, Flynn, Constantina, Ayden, Riley, Hannah, Ember, John, Patrick, Elijah, Eden, Olivia, and Marlo.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at the Hope Church, 11 N. Chelan Avenue, Wenatchee, WA.