Raymond Thompson
Dates
July 16, 1925 - December 7, 2022Obituary
Raymond Elbert Thompson, 97, of Mitchell, formerly of Fulton, SD, passed away Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell. Visitation will be Sunday, December 11, from 1-3:00 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a 2:30 PM prayer service. Private burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell.
Raymond was born to Henry D. and Olive (Rongstad) Thompson on July 16, 1925 in Mitchell. His siblings were Paul, Esther, Robert, Howard, John, and Donald. He attended Plano Consolidated School and graduated in 1943.
He married Esther Louise Bick on February 14, 1948, at the Mitchell Church of the Nazarene. They moved to Nampa, ID, but returned to farm near Fulton. They had 2 children, Sue and Richard. He loved farming, working with cattle, pheasant hunting, and baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals. He was treasurer of the Plano Consolidated School Board and clerk of the Plano Township Board. He was very active in the Plano, Beulah, and Mitchell Church of the Nazarene and a current member of Harvest Community Church of the Nazarene. He thought the best part of being a parent was having grandchildren and Dick’s children, Cristin and Rob, made him proud.
After his retirement, they moved to Mitchell. He worked hard on his yard and gardens and snow removal in the winter. He enjoyed biking and walking around the neighborhood. In 2010 Esther passed away. In 2013 Sue and her husband retired and moved in with Ray while building a house with rooms for him. He loved to mow the lawn and blow snow until he was in his early 90’s. In 2022 he moved in with Dick and Connie and then Firesteel Healthcare Center. Ray was a generous, kind, and gentle man.
Ray is survived by his children, Sue and Dennis Westgard, Mitchell, and Dick and Connie Thompson, Mitchell; grandchildren, Cristin (Thompson) and John Howell, Brooksville, FL and Robert, Aberdeen; sister, Esther (Thompson) Michaelis, Nampa, ID; brother, Donald, Portland, OR; two sisters-in-law, Trude (Conrad) Thompson, Eagle, ID and Grace Bick, Madison; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Esther; parents, Henry and Olive; in-laws, Roy and Hazel Bick; brothers, Paul, Robert, Howard, and John; brother-in-law, Ray Bick; and sister-in-law, Lila (Bick) Fosbenner.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.
Visitation(s)
Sunday, December 11, 2022
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM Prayer Service
Bittner Funeral Chapel
805 W Havens Ave
Mitchell, SD 57301
Cemetery
Graceland CemeteryMitchell, SD
We send our deepest sympathies.