THOMPSON, Paul D. - b. August 3, 1923 - d. January 3, 2007

[Janet Harrington]

(Taken from the Flint Hills Express, January 10, 2007, page 4)

Paul D. Thompson, 83, died Jan. 3, 2007 at Mercy Regional Health Center in Manhattan.  He was born in Howard on Aug. 3, 1923, the eldest child of Paul M. Thompson and Opal Perkins Thompson.  He graduated from Howard High School in 1941.  During the summers he worked on the family ranch, baling hay and working cattle.  He attended the College of Emporia until he enlisted in the United States Navy in November, 1943.  Paul had difficulty passing the Navy physical because of his heart; he used considerable creativity to be accepted.  He trained at Great Lakes Naval Training Center and Camp Farragut, Idaho.

As a Medical Corpsman, he served in California and TExas, part of the time with the Marines.  He was honorably discharged in April, 1946, and enrolled at Kansas State College that fall, majoring in Ag Economics.  After graduating in 1949, he taught Veterans-On-Farm Training in Elk County.  He joined the Howard Rotary Club and served as President.  He served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Howard.

While a student at Kansas State, he met Rosalie Germann.  They were married at the United Presbyterian Church in Manhattan on Jan. 1, 1950.  The lived on a ranch between Severy and Howard until the spring of 1954, when they moved into Howard, where Paul started Thompson Feed and Farm Supply.  Paul sold Ralston Purina Feeds and enjoyed that association.  In 1959 he sold the feed store and the Thompsons moved to Manhattan.

Early in the 1960s, Paul became a representative for Wadell and Reed, later becoming Division Manager for northeast Kansas.  He won trips to Hawaii, Spain, Canada and resorts in the US.  After retiring from Waddell and Reed in 1983, he enjoyed studying the stock market.

Paul was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Manhattan Rotary Club where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, the Kansas State Alumni Association, President's Club and Ahearn Club.  Until Paul's health began to fail, he and his family attended most of K-State's bowl games.  He loved to dance and was a charter member of Club Manhattan Ltd.  Paul and Rosalie enjoyed traveling with family and friends on cruises, tours and independent travel.

Paul is survived by a daughter, Teresa Thompson Dunn, St. Louis, Mo., a son Tad M. Thompson, North Wales, Pa.; and four grandchildren: Andrea Dunn Chandler and husband Rick, Jacob, Ill., Tiffany Dunn, Nashville, Tenn., Reece and Claire Thompson, North Wales, Pa.  Paul had a brother, Ralph Thompson and his wife Virgina, Denver, Colo.; two sisters: Virginia Thompson Kaufmann and husband Day, Topeka, and Elaine Thompson Dalgleish, Prairie Village; and numerous nieces and nephews who were close to their Uncle Paul.

Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.ymlfuneralhome.com.

Visitation at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home will be Sunday, January 14th, from 3-5 p.m.  Funeral services will be conducted by the Reverend Cam McConnell at the First Presbyterian Church on Jan. 15 at 10:30 a.m.  The body will be cremated and the ashes sprinkled by the family at a private ceremony.  The family has requested no flowers.  Memorial may be made to The First Presbyterian Church, Manhattan, or the Kansas State University Foundation for the KSU Rowing Team, in care of the funeral home at 1616 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502.