Roger Thompson

Roger Thompson, 70, formerly of Bode, passed away April 28, 2017 at the VA Hospice in Salem, Virginia. Funeral services will be 11 am Wednesday, May 10th, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Bode with Pastor Jim Borlaug officiating. Burial with full military honors will be in North Lawn Cemetery, Fort Dodge. Visitation is from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
Roger was born on June 23, 1946 in Badger, Iowa, to Merle and Ruth (Oleson) Thompson. He graduated from Twin Rivers High School in 1964. He attended one year of college before joining the Navy. He served as a boiler technician in the Navy and retired from active duty as a Chief Petty Officer after 22 years of service. During his service, he served aboard the USS Norris (DD-859), USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and USS Yosemite (AD-19).
After retirement from the service, he worked in a VA Hospital in Virginia as a boiler operator. He was very active at VFW Post 1264 in Roanoke, VA and served for many years as the Post Quartermaster.
Roger was very interested in family history and genealogy and did a unique write-up of the Oleson/Thompson family tree. During the summers, he made trips to Iowa to spend several months with family. He loved playing cards and was very competitive when playing pinochle. He always had a camera in his hand and a smile on his face. He had a love of watching westerns, listening to country music, and being at the VFW with friends.
Roger is survived by his mother, Ruth Thompson, a resident at the North Care Center in Humboldt; his daughters, Dee Thompson, Amanda Thompson (Erik) Collier, Cheryl Thompson Paris, and Sheree Thompson; four grandchildren, Ashley Schulate, Kaitlyn Smith, John Smith Jr., and Daniel Stout; his sister Marjorie (Gene) Steinberg, Mason City; brothers, Russell (Carole), Gowrie, Randall (Carol), Lake Zurich, Illinois, and Rodney (Deborah), O’Fallon, Illinois along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
His father, Merle Thompson, his grandparents, Roy and Amanda Thompson, and Edwin and Mary Oleson, aunts, uncles, and several cousins, preceded him in death.