O.J. Thompson

O.J. Thompson, 95, longtime resident of Grand Junction, died October 27, 2016 at the VA Central Iowa Medical Center in Des Moines. A memorial service was held Sunday, October 30 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson. Words of comfort were provided by Steve Satre of Ogden, Iowa. O.J. donated his body to the University of Iowa Anatomical Gift Program. His gift will forever impact and affect the lives of others in ways we cannot imagine. Interment will take place at a future date at Junction Township Cemetery, Grand Junction.

Oliver Judson Thompson was born May 12, 1921 on a farm near Grand Junction, Iowa, the son of Noah Thompson and Hattie Morse Thompson, the youngest of 12 children. He graduated in 1939 from Rippey Consolidate School and was a 1943 graduate of Iowa State University with a B.S. degree in agronomy. After WWII, he taught agronomy classes to many local returning soldiers under the GI bill. O.J. served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during WWII with the 96th Infantry Division in the South Pacific on the Islands of Leyte and Okinawa. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals and in 2001 his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for valor.

On June 23, 1955, O.J. was married to Wanda Perry. During these years, O.J. farmed and worked as an agronomist at several local area cooperatives. On the family farm near Grand Junction they raised six children: Patricia (Ken) Cole, Michael (Nancy) Timmons, Beverly (Greg) Swecker, Dennis Thompson, Dee (Jon) Savits and Gary (Shelly) Thompson.

O.J. is survived by two sons, Dennis Thompson of Whittemore, Iowa and Gary (Shelly) Thompson of Perry, Iowa and two daughters, Beverly (Greg) Swecker of Dana, Iowa and Dee (Jon) Savits of Ogden; one step-daughter, Patricia (Ken) Cole of Lockwood, Missouri; one sister-in-law, Berdine Thompson of Perry; seven grandchildren: Geremy Swecker, Laura Marshall, Corey Thompson, Angela Krueger, Sean, Shanon and Alex Thompson; four great-grandchildren: Logan, Aiden and Karson Marshall, and Beckham Krueger; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepson, Michael Timmons; one granddaughter, Jamie Thompson; his seven brothers and sisters-in-law: Wayne (Enolia) Thompson, Morse (Genevieve) Thompson, Walter (Capitola) Thompson, Allan Thompson, John (Maxine) Thompson,  Arch Thompson and Noah (Ruth) Thompson; and four sisters: Mary (Roy) Johnson, Alta (Jack) Guyot, Fern Thompson and Vivian (Gunner) Knutson.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson, 515-386-2171.

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