Frederick L. Thompson, Jr.

Frederick L. Thompson, Jr., 84, Nevada, Mo., formerly of Caldwell, Kan., died Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at Christian Health Care, Nevada. He was born, their only child, Sept. 15, 1919, in Blackwell, Okla., to Dr. Frederick L. Thompson, Sr., and Ruby Frances Johnson Thompson. He married Ruth Virginia "Gini" Teeter on March 13, 1942, in Dallas, Texas.

Growing up in a small rural town, Fred played football, basketball, tennis, participated in the band and was an Eagle Scout. He was valedictorian of his high school graduation class. He attended the University of Oklahoma. There he lettered in tennis, was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity, and of Sigma Gamma Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi, academic honor fraternities. He graduated with honors with a degree in petroleum and geological engineering in 1941. After graduation, he worked for Humble Oil and Refining Company (Exxon) in Kilgore, Texas, until he was called up as a naval reservist during World War II. He was assigned to the petroleum research division at Long Beach Naval Base in Long Beach, Calif., until honorary discharge in 1945. He returned to Humble Oil until 1950. To care for his aging and ailing parents he returned to his hometown of Caldwell. He was a funeral director there and in Wellington and Lawrence before his retirement in 1985. After retirement, Fred and his wife Gini, enjoyed time with family, friends, golfing and traveling in the U.S. and Europe. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Lawrence, Kan., and the Masonic Lodge No. 203, Caldwell, Kan.

Survivors in addition to his wife, include two sons, F.L. "Rick" Thompson, Nevada, Mo., and William "Bill" Thompson, Batesville, Ark.; two daughters, Margaret (Pegge) Thompson, Blue Springs, Mo., and Patricia (Patti) Reimer, Lawrence, Kan.; 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at Ferry Funeral Home on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Greg Ferree officiating. A Masonic burial will be held at 12 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15, at Caldwell City Cemetery, Caldwell, Kan. Friends may call now and until the hour of service and the family receives friends at the funeral home from 1 to 2 p.m., on Saturday prior to the service.

Those who wish may contribute to the Barone Alzheimer's Care Center, N. Ash, Nevada, Mo., or in care of Ferry Funeral Home.