Book of Memories for James V. Thompson

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Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:29:28 EST

Jim, Ed, Tami, Rita

Condolence From Brenda Black

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:50:27 EST

Ann,Ryan,Megan and Family. We are all thinking of you at this time. You are in are thoughts and Prayers.From the stories I have read, you will have memories to always treasure.. We Love you!! Blacks and Beaches

Condolence From Dennis Ernest

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:52:42 EST

My sympathies to the family. We were related through the Filbin side of the family. I have many memories of Jim from church and always seeing him at the Dalton Co-op. My best wishes and hugs to all you in his passing.

Condolence From Carol Story

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 01:16:45 EST

My sincere sympathy goes to my Nebraska cousins - I spent so much time with Uncle Jim and Aunt Rita, and Uncle Stick and Aunt Gertie. They were all an important part of my early life, and always treated me with love, kindness, and as though I was part of their family. Jim was a "larger than life" character, and I was happy to be in his home with him and Aunt Rita. This is the end of an era, and I'll miss him.

Story shared: Uncle Jim

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 01:08:52 EST

As a young child I spent several summers in Dalton with Aunt Rita and Uncle Jim. I was the flower girl in their wedding when I was seven. The summer when I was about 9 or 10, Uncle Jim decided I was old enough to learn to drive, so he put me behind the wheel of his pickup and turned me loose with no instructions except to drive home, and legs barely long enough to reach the pedals. Everything went OK until we came to the farm and he told me to turn in. I didn't know how to stop, and instead stepped harder on the accelerator. We ended up in the ditch instead of on the lane in to the farm. I was very embarassed, but he didn't scold me or even laugh at me, and neither one of us was hurt. I did overhear him telling his buddies about it for quite some time after that, though, and I did get some teasing throughout the rest of the summer. I never drove his pickup again after that!

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Sun, 06 Jan 2013 22:34:38 EST

Story shared: Close family Friend

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 01:43:10 EST

I grew up knowing Jim and Rita.. They were good friends of my parents Leonard and Cyrilla Pelster. They played cards at our house many times We had a piano at which Jim would sit and play and everyone would gather around and sing some of the old familiar songs of long ago.. What a joy it was to watch them enjoy their times together. I chuckled when I read other remarks on this site about Jim using some cuss words in his stories, but I will tell you that he is the only man that never offended me when he did, it was just a part of Jim that you hardly even noticed it. Jim's birthday and my Mothers birthdays were on the same day, so we celebrated many of them together having a great time. So many fond memories of a really great guy. May he rest in Peace.

Condolence From Jerrie Smith

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:01:53 EST

I never had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy and for that I am especially sad. Over the years I've heard so many funny, heartwarming and loving stories about Jimmy and all his siblings and family members. What a special family... Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this time. Love and hugs, Jerrie

Story shared: My Uncle Jimmy

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 23:54:45 EST

Although I wasn't fortunate enough to spend much time with Uncle Jimmy (as I lived in WA State),I put him up on a high pedastal as I do with all my other uncles and aunts. One story I'd love to share takes place in the fall of 1953...I came for a visit right after graduating high school. Grandma Thompson wanted a portion of her south field fenced in...and you guessed it, Jimmy volunteered the two of us to tackle the chore. We dug post holes for a couple of days (it seems like). Uncle Jimmy would sometimes come back to the holes I had dug, looked at me, smiled and dug it deeper. And then shook his head and off he went to the next hole. I admired him then and oh how I admire him now...he worked my tail off, but I didn't mind because I respected him so much...I wish that I could have spent more time with you...Love, Donny

Story shared: The Black Box

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 20:22:15 EST

Grandpa Jim, as others have attested, loved to captivate people with his stories. But he also had a magical ability to capture one's curiosity as well. As a kid, I remember my highlight in trips to Dalton often involved "the black box." In this metal cube, smaller than a bread box, which he stored out of reach in the bedroom closet, artifacts abounded. After my incessant begging, he would mischievously pull down the treasure chest for my perusal. With each object, he would share a story: about his father's watch, the title deed to an old pick-up, keys to who-knows-what. I think my favorite quality to grandpa was that he could take any mole hill and make it into a mountain. It might have been an object, or a story. But he also had a way of making people feel that way, too. I always felt like a million bucks, like a real big deal after interacting with him: "Lordie!!!"--he would hoop and holler after I told him about the 4th grade, or 8th grade, or any life event big or small.

Story shared: Grandpa Jim

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:07:52 EST

It's tough to decide which stories to share about Grandpa Jim, as there are so many great ones. I suppose I will just share some of my favorite memories about him. The first thing that comes to mind were the hilarious stories that he would tell and the fondness that he would describe them with. Whether the story be about his old basketball coach coming into the locker room and bumming a cigarette off of him or he and Pete brawling with a group of roughians from Bridgeport/Sidney/Potter/etc. The stories always had a fair share of profanity in them, and they always had everyone around laughing. I remember being so excited when Grandpa first starting letting me drive his old black pickup. We'd drive down to the post office or the grocery store or to take a look at the wheat fields and gosh darnit if those weren't some of the best times I've ever had - just driving in Grandpa's old pickup and listening to his stories. I'll never forget the amazing feeling that I got every time that we went to visit Grandpa in Dalton and pulled into his driveway - watching the excitement on his face when he would see us from his kitchen window and come out to greet us with the biggest, brightest smile I've ever seen, the friendliest, most infectious laugh I've ever heard, and the tightest, warmest hug I've ever had. Nor will I forget the bittersweet, sadness that I felt every time that we'd have to leave. Turning around and watching Grandpa through the rear window as our car pulled away from his aqua green house, smiling and waving until we were out of sight. He always stood and smiled and waved until we were out of sight. I love him very much, and I will miss him deeply. Ryan Black

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Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:14:07 EST

Grandpa Jim

Condolence From Kay Carley

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 02:47:14 EST

I have fond memories of your dad when he and your mom would come out to the house and sing and dance to big band music with Gordie and I. We had good times. My sympathy to each of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Kay

Story shared: The Road Back to Dalton

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 00:07:49 EST

The final five years of Dad's life were the only ones lived outside of Dalton. As he began his struggle with Alzheimer's, Dad was faced with a move to Kearney. Although he was in a new location, in his mind he was back home, on the farm in Dalton. When I visited Dad, the nurses would often greet me with a story Dad had shared with them. They all thoroughly enjoyed these stories and, since many of them involved Dad's brother Pete, (a man who was larger than life) they wanted to know if he was real. I assured them that both Pete and most of the stories were real! Dad and I got to spend some quality time together. We attended some big band concerts (which he loved), went on car rides around the countryside (with him complaining about the cramped quarters in the Mustang) and had many sodas at Sonic while watching the cars go by (with his many comments about how darn fast they were going. This led to stories of exploits with Keith Beavers-his lead footed friend)! As time went by, we were more limited in what we could do together but Dad never lost his sense of humor. Even though he had trouble communicating, he would often laugh and throw out a bull---- when appropriate. The one thing I am so thankful for is that Dad felt he was still in Dalton and because he loved those memories so much, they stayed with him through the confusion of this disease. I am sure he enjoyed his ride back across the state (past some familiar wheat fields) and will be a peace back home - in Dalton.

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Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:15:24 EST

Christmas 2011 Ryan, Megan, Jim, Ann

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Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:14:11 EST

Christmas 2011 with Linda, Gary, Megan, Ed, Jim, Ann & Bones

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Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:39:21 EST

Condolence From Tom Stikker

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:22:08 EST

I'm so sorry to hear about Jim's passing. A lot of memories growing up with family get togethers came flooding back. All my sympathy to my Thompson cousins and their families.