Wanda Thompson

Wanda Ruth Thompson, a longtime Grand Junction area resident, passed away on June 7 at the Rowley Masonic Home in Perry at the age of 94.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. June 11 at the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction, with words of comfort by Pastor Jim Barnett.

Casket bearers will be James Timmons, Bruce Timmons, Geremy Swecker, Sean Thompson, Alex Thompson, Cory Thompson, Keaton Krueger, Myron Bahm and Kirk Neill.    

Interment will be in the Junction Twp. Cemetery, Grand Junction.

Wanda was born on Jan. 15, 1926, in St. Clair County, Mo., the only daughter of Della Mae Rogers and Arthur Lawrence Perry. 

When Wanda was just four years old, her father died suddenly at the start of the Great Depression.  Despite this hardship, she, her mother and three brothers remained on the family farm in St. Clair County where Wanda attended a one-room country school.

During the war years, Wanda worked as a waitress and at the concession stand of a local movie theater and graduated in 1944 from Raytown High School in Kansas City, Mo. After high school, she worked for the Kansas City Life Insurance Company.

Wanda was united in marriage to Tom Timmons and the couple moved to Eugene, Ore. To this union, two children were born: Patricia (Pat) and Michael (Mike). Wanda and Tom would later divorce.

On June 23, 1955, Wanda was united in marriage to O.J. Thompson and to this union four children were born: Beverly, Dennis, Deanna and Gary. 

The family made their home on the family farm south of Grand Junction. Wanda and O.J. were later divorced, and Wanda moved to Grand Junction, where she was a longtime member of the Grand Junction Legion Auxiliary and active in the Grand Junction United Methodist Church. 

Wanda was an excellent seamstress and cook, loved to dance and listen to the sounds of the Big Band era and country music. She utilized her cooking skills in providing nutritious meals to many children at the Day Care Depot in Jefferson and East Greene Schools in Grand Junction.

Wanda especially loved spending time with her family, and everyone could always look forward to receiving a freshly baked pie for their birthday.  She will be deeply missed and remembered for her kindness and beautiful smile.

Wanda is preceded in death by her parents; former spouses Tom Timmons and O.J. Thompson; one son, Michael Timmons; and one granddaughter, Jamie Thompson; her brothers Willard (Marge) Perry, Albert (Darlene) Perry and Clifford (Nita) Perry;  brothers-in-law Wayne (Enolia) Thompson, Walter (Capitola) Thompson,  Morse (Genevieve) Thompson, Noah (Ruth) Thompson,  John (Maxine) Thompson, Allan Thompson, Arch Thompson; and sisters-in-law Mary (Roy) Johnson, Alta (Jack) Guyot, Vivian (Gunner ) Knutson and Fern Thompson.

Survivors include her daughters, Patricia (Ken) Cole, of Lockwood, Mo.; Beverly (Greg) Swecker, of Dana; and Dee (Jon) Savits, of Ogden;  two sons: Dennis Thompson, of Whittemore; and Gary (Shelly) Thompson, of Perry;  daughter-in-law Nancy Timmons, of Jefferson; sister-in-law Byrdene  Thompson, of Perry; 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, with one on the way; and many friends, nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the Grand Junction Methodist Church.

Services were arranged by the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.