Gloria Thompson

Our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Gloria Jeanne "Shorty" Thompson, left us to go home to her Father on Monday, April 6, 2009, in the Bartlesville Care Center. She had a permanent and deep influence on each one of us and she will be greatly missed. Jeanne was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on June 21, 1928 to W. Clyde Gage and Adda Lea Head-Gage. She grew up on some of the earliest oil leases around Circle Mountain and graduated from College High School in 1945. She declined a college scholarship so she could marry the love of her life, Elmer L. Thompson when he came home on leave from the US Navy in August, 1945. They lived in Portland, Oregon until Elmer's discharge from the Navy. At that time, they returned to Bartlesville where they have made their home for the past 64 years. Jeanne's professional career was actually a ministry of service. One of her first jobs was as a teller at First National Bank during high school. From 1946 until 1961, Elmer and Jeanne worked alongside Jeanne's parents who owned a gas station on the corner of 14th and Virginia. When she returned to the workplace in 1973 after staying home to raise her two daughters, she joined the Secretarial staff at the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville. She began as a part-time secretary and later served over 17 years as the Pastor's private secretary. After retiring from First Baptist Church, Jeanne spent the next decade traveling to each one of the 48 contiguous states with her beloved husband as they balanced adventure with visits to their family. Jeanne served almost 10 years as the Leader for a Girl Scout Troop and was involved with the founding of Camp Wah-Sha-She. She and Elmer were active members of the Jane Phillips square dance club for many years. She was also a member of the New Harmony Baptist Church. Jeanne is survived by her beloved husband, Elmer Thompson of the home; two daughters, Connie Jeanne Belcher and husband Jim of Pullman, WA; Cathey Ann Lee and husband David of Oxford, KS; four grandchildren, Mark Belcher of Lubbock, TX; Scott Belcher Thompson of Kennewick, WA; Andy Lee of Winfield, KS; and Sarah Lee of Wichita, KS; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, and her sister, Billie Mae Bates. A memorial celebration will be held at 2:00pm, Thursday, April 9, 2009 in the Colonial Chapel of the Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home with Dr. William Cook officiating. Interment will follow in the Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of the Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home. On-line condolences can be left for the family at www.honoringmemories.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions in memory of Jeanne Thompson to either Bartlesville Meals On Wheels, First Presbyterian Church, 505 SE Dewey Ave, Bartlesville, OK 74003 or to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 6465 S Yale, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74136.

Service Details

Thursday, April 9th, 2009 2:00pm, Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home

Interment Details

Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville