St.
Clair County Obits
WILLIAM LEE “BILL” THOMPSON
Kansas City Sar
2 November 2005
William Lee “Bill” Thompson, 79, Pleasant Hill, Mo., passed away
October 31, 2005, at Lee’s Summit Hospital. Funeral services will be 2
p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Stanley & Son Funeral Home. Burial in
Raymore Cemetery. Friends may call 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, at the
funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to MO 4-H Foundation,
212 Whitten Hall, Columbia, MO 65211. Mr. Thompson was born December
24, 1925, near Osceola, Mo. He was a retired farmer and had owned
Thompson’s Furniture in Kansas City from 1969 until 1982. He was as
Navy veteran of WW II and a member of the Pleasant Hill United
Methodist Church. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two
brothers, John Winston Thompson and Clifford Allen Thompson. He leaves
his wife, Mark Ella Garrett Thompson, of the home; two daughters,
Linda Lee Thompson of Harrisonville, Mo., and Julia Mitchell of
Pleasant Hill; his brother, Richard Ray Thompson of Kansas City, Mo.;
eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. (Arrangements
Stanley & Son Funeral Home, Pleasant Hill, Mo. 816-540-5550)
St. Clair County Courier
11 November 2005
William Lee “Bill” Thompson, 79, Pleasant Hill, died October 31, 2005,
at Lee’s Summit Hospital, Lee’s Summit. He was born December 24, 1925,
on a farm near Osceola, Mo., the son of King William Thompson and Lora
Elliott Storm Thompson.
Mr. Thompson grew up in Doyal Township, and received his education at
the Bradford School there. He was a 1943 graduate of Osceola High
School.
On May 24, 1944, at the age of 18 he enlisted in the United States
Navy. He was a World War II veteran serving in the South Pacific as a
boatswain’s mate aboard the U.S.S. Edgecombe.
After his discharge May 24, 1946, Mr. Thompson returned to Osceola. He
moved to Cass County in 1947. He was married February 13, 1948, at
Olathe, Kans., to MarkElla Garrett.
After their marriage, the couple made their home in Cass County, Mo.,
where Mr. Thompson farmed the Lazy T Ranch in Big Creek Township for
21 years.
In the 1950s he was active and served as a beef leader in the Raymore
4-H Club and was a member of the Cass County Balanced Farming program.
In 1969, Mr. Thompson retired from farming and entered the used
furniture and antique business in Kansas City with two of his
brothers, retiring in 1982.
He was a member of the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers,
John Winston Thompson and Clifford Allen Thompson.
Survivors include his wife MarkElla (Gretta) Thompson, of the home;
two daughters, Linda Lee Thompson, Harrisonville and Julia Mitchell,
Pleasant Hill; eight grandchildren; a brother Richard Ray “Dick”
Thompson, Kansas City; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral was Friday, November 4, at the funeral home with John
Allen Thompson and Tony Caldarello officiating. Burial with military
honors was in the Raymore Cemetery. Pallbearers were William Young,
Morgan Sanders, William Hawkins, Levi Mitchell, Craig Thompson and
Allen Thompson.
The family suggest contributions in Mr. Thompson’s memory to the
Missouri 4-H Foundation, 212 Whitten Hall, Columbia, Mo. 65211.
Cass County Democrat Missourian
4 November 2005
William Lee “Bill” Thompson
Dec. 24, 1925 - Oct. 31, 2005
William Lee “Bill” Thompson, 79, Pleasant Hill, died Oct. 31, 2005, at
Lee’s Summit Hospital, Lee’s Summit.
He was born Dec. 24, 1925, on a farm near Osceola, St. Clair County,
the son of King William Thompson and Lora (Elliott) Storm Thompson.
Mr. Thompson grew up in St. Clair County, and received his education
at the Bradford School there. He was a 1943 graduate of Osceola High
School.
May 24, 1944, at the age of 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy.
He was a World War II veteran serving in the South Pacific as a
boatswain’s mate aboard the U.S.S. Edgecombe, being a member of the
ship’s crew on its shakedown cruise when she carried the 68th United
States Navy Seabees from Seattle to San Francisco in November 1944
until she made her final voyage from Portland, Ore., to Norfolk, Va.
After his discharge May 24, 1946, Mr. Thompson returned to Osceola. He
moved to Cass County in 1947.
He was married Feb. 13, 1948, in Olathe, Johnson County, Kan., to
MarkElla Garrett.
After their marriage, the couple made their home in Cass County, where
Mr. Thompson farmed the Lazy T Ranch in Big Creek Township for 21
years. He was known as a progressive farmer, always willing to employ
the most up-to-date methods in the raising of row crops, as well as
registered Hereford cattle and feeder pigs.
In the 1950s he was active and served as a beef leader in the Raymore
4-H Club and was a member of Cass County’s Balanced Farming program.
In 1969, Mr. Thompson retired from farming and entered the used
furniture and antique business in Kansas City with two of his
brothers, retiring in 1982.
He was a member of the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church.
His considered his family his greatest treasure and believed that a
man’s greatest virtues were honesty and hard work, traits he himself
exemplified all of his life.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers,
John Winston Thompson and Clifford Allen Thompson.
Survivors include his wife MarkElla (Garrett) Thompson, of the home;
two daughters, Linda Lee Thompson, Harrisonville, and Julia Mitchell,
Pleasant Hill; eight grandchildren, Michelle Jon Young (William)
Harrisonville, Adrianne Leanne Martin, Granite Quarry, N.C., William
Hawkins, West Plains, Morgan Lee Sanders, Harrisonville, and Levi
Mitchell, Lucas Spies, Eli Mitchell and Bretta Mitchell, all of
Pleasant Hill; four great-grandchildren, William Lee Fordyce, Dustin
Dean Young and Katelyn Michelle Young, all of Harrisonville, and
Alexandria Ray Martin, Granite Quarry, N.C.; a brother Richard Ray
“Dick” Thompson, Kansas City; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Stanley
and Son Funeral Home, 203 N. Armstrong, Pleasant Hill.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at the funeral home
with John Allen Thompson and Tony Caldarello officiating.
Burial with military honors will follow in the Raymore Cemetery.
Pallbearers are William Young, Morgan Sanders, William Hawkins, Levi
Mitchell, Craig Thompson and Allen Thompson.
The family suggests contributions in Mr. Thompson’s memory to the
Missouri 4-H Foundation, 212 Whitten Hall, Columbia, Mo. 65211.
