George Patriarch Thompson

Thompson, George Donald Patriarch of the Thompson family of Minneapolis, MN and Peoria, Illinois succumbed at age 93 on Friday, April 27th, 2007. Born July 10th, 1913 in Peoria, George was one of two children to Adrian Leardo Thompson and Stella Marie (Murphy) Thompson. George's younger sister, Evelyn K. (Thompson) Davidson Sparks preceded him in death on April 1, 1999. George was a 10th generation American descended from one of the oldest families in America. His ancestry dates back to the original 1614 Dutch Colonists of New York City, 6 years before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock and includes grandparents who fought in the American Revolution, War of 1812, the Civil War and WWI. George attended Franklin and Webster elementary schools in Peoria, IL where he sang at a city wide concert to the accompaniment of John Phillip Sousa's Band. A graduate of Manual High School in Peoria, George lettered in football, participated in the Glee Club and became leader of the cheerleading squad. Even while in elementary school George found himself working at assorted jobs including the Peoria Star Journal where he cut and stacked the newspapers he needed and then sold them for 3 cents per paper, 5 cents for an Extra Edition. He later served at the Star as a proof reader. Additionally, he worked at Moskins Clothing, drove trucks, dug graves and trimmed grass at Memorial Cemetery, delivered Desotos for Isch Brother and Hackshaw as well as setting the picking record at Schoff's apple orchard of 146 bushels in one day. In the early 1930's George moved to Minneapolis, MN where he met and married Frances Mary Rzeszutek on July 10, 1939 who later died on June 16th, 1996. In Minneapolis, George worked for Direct Service Gas, Northern Pump, Lansing Button Company and finished his career selling cars at Wynn Stephens Buick. He had an interim fling running his own business "Southwest Hardware Store". George is survived by his 3 children, Arthene "Cookie" Rae (Thompson) Brecht and her husband Dwayne Elwood Brecht of Richfield, MN, Thomas Norton Thompson and his wife Elizabeth "Betty" Ann (Heard) Thompson of McHenry, IL and Terry Gene Thompson and his wife Jill Ann (Cronemiller) Thompson of Denver, Colorado; "Cookie's" children, Tracey (Brecht) Bishop, Melissa (Brecht) Nivala and Edwin Brecht; Tommy's children, Thomas, Michelle, Erik and Nicole Thompson; Terry and Jill's children, John and David Thompson; his niece and nephew, Marge Pacyna, Wayne Davidson and 5 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held for George Thompson on Saturday, May 5th, 5:00 PM at: Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel 952-920-3996 West 50th St. & Hwy 100

Tributes

George Patriarch Thompson

April 30, 2007

Tributes

George Patriarch Thompson

April 30, 2007

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