1919
Phillip
2016
Phillip Thompson
June 21, 1919 — September 18, 2016
Phillip Thompson, 97 of Fergus Falls died Sunday, September 18, 2016, at his home.
Phillip was born to Oscar Thompson and Caroline (Vigen) Thompson on June 21, 1919 in Stoney Brook Township, Grant County, MN.
Phillip was in the U.S. Army Air Force from July 1942 to September 1945 as a Staff Sergeant. After Pearl Harbor Phillip took flying lessons in Morris, MN, however, he was sent to gunnery school in Denver, Colorado, then to Kingman, Arizona to learn how to shoot moving targets from a moving vehicle in preparation for becoming a gunner on a B-17 crew. He was sent to Tampa, FL and Biloxi, Mississippi before being assigned to a new B-17 Flying Fortress that they flew to Maine, Newfoundland, and Azores before touching down in Tunis, North Africa. Living in a tent they did more training before heading across the Mediterranean to a base near Fossia, Italy. He was assigned to the 15th Army Air Force, 840th Bomber Squadron, 483 Bombardment Group, going on bombing raids to northern Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. He flew over 30 missions.
The Red Cross provided coffee after returning from their missions, which he said relaxed him and kept him sane through the war. He credited the Red Cross for his lifelong love of coffee.
Phillip married Ethel Kronemann on July 17, 1945 in Elbow Lake, MN. They farmed 160 acres near Wendell, MN from 1945 – 1969. Phillip worked as a cabinet maker at the Sash and Door Co in Fergus Falls, MN until 1969 when they moved to Canyon City, CO where Phillip started his own cabinet making business. For a short time they lived in Parker, CO and Aurora, CO then settled in Loveland, CO. He worked as a cabinet maker for Colorado Memory Systems before retiring in 1995 at which time they returned to Fergus Falls, MN.
Phillip did many woodworking projects for his family, friends, church, and sundry other recipients. He loved working with wood, designing, sawing, lathing, sanding, hammering, gluing, the works. He was involved with his church, the VFW, American Legion, Y's Folks, Food Bank, Welcome House.
Phillip is survived by his wife, Ethel; four children: Barbara Potter (Glenn), Nancy Vaughn, Daniel (Carla) Thompson, and Lance (Kathy) Thompson; eight grandchildren: Allen (Natasa) Potter, Anne (Mike) Walters, Sarah Vaughn, DO, Beau (Sara) Vaughn, Brian (Carissa) Thompson, Nellie Thompson, DiAnna (Ryan) Kelsey, Madeleine Thompson, Benjamin Thompson, and Noah Thompson; two great grandchildren, Ronan Walters and Atlas Vaughn. Phillip has two living sisters: LuEtta Bordson of Elbow Lake, MN and Charlottee Hutchinson of Aberdeen, Idaho.
Preceding him in death are: his daughter Diane Lois Thompson in 1946. His Mother in 1958, his Father in 1962, three sisters and their husbands: Helen and Fred Weigand and Robert Amundson; Esther and Howard Wagner, Myrtle and Kermit Rund; Brother-in-laws: Sidney Bordson; Paul Hutchinson.
Memorials preferred to Calvary Free Lutheran Church, 1416 Co Hwy 111, Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Funeral service will be 1:00 pm, Monday, September 26th at Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 5 pm at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home and one hour prior at the church.
Interment will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery by Wendell.
Phil's Memorial Folder
Phillip was born to Oscar Thompson and Caroline (Vigen) Thompson on June 21, 1919 in Stoney Brook Township, Grant County, MN.
Phillip was in the U.S. Army Air Force from July 1942 to September 1945 as a Staff Sergeant. After Pearl Harbor Phillip took flying lessons in Morris, MN, however, he was sent to gunnery school in Denver, Colorado, then to Kingman, Arizona to learn how to shoot moving targets from a moving vehicle in preparation for becoming a gunner on a B-17 crew. He was sent to Tampa, FL and Biloxi, Mississippi before being assigned to a new B-17 Flying Fortress that they flew to Maine, Newfoundland, and Azores before touching down in Tunis, North Africa. Living in a tent they did more training before heading across the Mediterranean to a base near Fossia, Italy. He was assigned to the 15th Army Air Force, 840th Bomber Squadron, 483 Bombardment Group, going on bombing raids to northern Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. He flew over 30 missions.
The Red Cross provided coffee after returning from their missions, which he said relaxed him and kept him sane through the war. He credited the Red Cross for his lifelong love of coffee.
Phillip married Ethel Kronemann on July 17, 1945 in Elbow Lake, MN. They farmed 160 acres near Wendell, MN from 1945 – 1969. Phillip worked as a cabinet maker at the Sash and Door Co in Fergus Falls, MN until 1969 when they moved to Canyon City, CO where Phillip started his own cabinet making business. For a short time they lived in Parker, CO and Aurora, CO then settled in Loveland, CO. He worked as a cabinet maker for Colorado Memory Systems before retiring in 1995 at which time they returned to Fergus Falls, MN.
Phillip did many woodworking projects for his family, friends, church, and sundry other recipients. He loved working with wood, designing, sawing, lathing, sanding, hammering, gluing, the works. He was involved with his church, the VFW, American Legion, Y's Folks, Food Bank, Welcome House.
Phillip is survived by his wife, Ethel; four children: Barbara Potter (Glenn), Nancy Vaughn, Daniel (Carla) Thompson, and Lance (Kathy) Thompson; eight grandchildren: Allen (Natasa) Potter, Anne (Mike) Walters, Sarah Vaughn, DO, Beau (Sara) Vaughn, Brian (Carissa) Thompson, Nellie Thompson, DiAnna (Ryan) Kelsey, Madeleine Thompson, Benjamin Thompson, and Noah Thompson; two great grandchildren, Ronan Walters and Atlas Vaughn. Phillip has two living sisters: LuEtta Bordson of Elbow Lake, MN and Charlottee Hutchinson of Aberdeen, Idaho.
Preceding him in death are: his daughter Diane Lois Thompson in 1946. His Mother in 1958, his Father in 1962, three sisters and their husbands: Helen and Fred Weigand and Robert Amundson; Esther and Howard Wagner, Myrtle and Kermit Rund; Brother-in-laws: Sidney Bordson; Paul Hutchinson.
Memorials preferred to Calvary Free Lutheran Church, 1416 Co Hwy 111, Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Funeral service will be 1:00 pm, Monday, September 26th at Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 5 pm at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home and one hour prior at the church.
Interment will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery by Wendell.
Phil's Memorial Folder
A service summary is not available
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