Merlene Thompson of Irwin, Iowa.
1943 Manning VFW Commander
Service Number 828699
Branch Army
Unit Battery A 63rd, Coast Artillery Corps
Enlistment December 19, 1917
Discharge March 13, 1919
Departure July 14, 1918, at New York, on the Empress Of Britain
Rank Private
Service Number 828699
Burial was in the Oakhill Cemetery Irwin, Iowa, with military rites in charge of the ceremonial teams of Emil Ewoldt Post No. 22, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 3517 of Manning.
Mr. Thompson died at 3:30 a.m. Friday morning, March 7, 1958, at the Manning General Hospital, after a long illness.
He was born May 31, 1896, in Jefferson Township, Shelby County, son of Jacob and Gusta (Strand) Thompson. While a child, he moved with his family to Goldfield, and later returned to the Irwin community.
He served overseas for 7 months during World War I Following his discharge on October 16, 1919, he was married to Laura Steenhusen of Irwin. The couple has lived on a farm near Botna since their marriage.
Mr. Thompson was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Irwin.
He is survived by his wife; four children; Mrs. William (Virginia) Drath of Hillsboro, California; Mrs. Russell (Joyce) Lathrop, San Mateo, California; Mrs. Charles (Alys) McMunn, Denver, Colorado; and Merlene, Thompson, Jr. of Ralston, Nebraska; four grandsons; his mother of Harlan; and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Clarence (Gertie) Nelson, Charles City, Iowa; Mrs. James (Tillie) Cox, Tracy, California; Elmer and Ole Thompson, both of Tracy, California; Mrs. Rodney (Jennie) Siemiller, Los Banos, California; Alfred Thompson, Tracy, California; and Mrs. Oral (Myrtle) Gearhart, Harlan, Iowa.
He was preceded la death by his father and a brother, James.
Mr. Thompson was a member of the V.F.W. post No. 3517 and a past commander.
Merlene Thompson
Merlene J. Thompson, the son of Jacob and Gusta (Strand) Thompson and was born May 31, 1896, in
Jefferson Township, Shelby county, Iowa and died March 7, 1958, at the Manning General hospital following a lengthy illness.
While a child he moved with his family to Goldfield, Iowa, and later returned to the Irwin community.
He served overseas for seven months during World War I. Following his discharge October 16, 1919, he married Laura Steenhusen of Irwin.
The couple has lived on their present farm near Botna since their marriage.
Mr. Thompson was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in Irwin and a member of Manning V.F.W. post and a past commander.
He is survived by his wife, four children: Mrs. Virginia (William) Drath of Hillsboro, California; Mrs. Joyce (Russell) Lathrop of San Mateo, California; Mrs. Alys (Charles) McMunn of Denver, Colorado; and Merlene, Thompson, Jr. of Ralston, Nebraska; four grandsons, his mother of Harlan and the following brothers and sisters; Mrs. Gertie (Clarence) Nelson of Charles City, Iowa; Mrs. Tillie (James) Cox of Tracy, California; Elmer, Ole and Arnold of Tracy, California; Mrs. Jenny (Rodney) Siemiller of Los Angeles, California; and Mrs. Myrtle (Orrell) Gearhart of Harlan, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, James.
Funeral services for Merlene who was a Botna farmer were held at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning Monday, March 10, 1958, with the Rev. Carl Sinning of the Presbyterian Church officiating.
Burial was in the Oak Hill cemetery at Irwin with military rites by the Emil Ewoldt Post No. 22 American Legion and V.F.W. Post No. 3317 of Manning.
Pallbearers were John l. Steenhusen, George Steenhusen, Peter Steenhusen, Jr., Larry Gearhart, Robert Wycoff, and Frank Wegner.