Ray Thompson
| Date of Interment or Death | 01/26/1957 |
|---|---|
| Location | Garden of the Christus |
| Block and Lot | 058D |
| Grave | 1 |
Obituary
Rites in Wahpeton Church Wednesday for Ray Thompson
Funeral services for Ray Thompson, former state treasurer who died unexpectedly in a Bismarck hotel Saturday at the age of 45, will be held from Foss Methodist church in this city Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and daughter Patricia, had been in Bismarck where the Richland man long active in the Non-partisan League, attended a meeting of stockholders of the Leader, non-partisan newspaper, and the party advisory committee.
He took an active part in the discussions which were held at the Patterson hotel and told the advisory committee that he expected that the 1957 legislature would pass at least a half dozen bills which should be referred to the voters of the state. He moved that the NPL executive committee be empowered to start referrals, should such measurers pass, if the committee deemed it necessary.
He and Mrs. Thompson left the hotel after the meeting and he died a few minutes later at the hotel. He had planned to return to his farm in Nansen township Saturday evening but complained of being tired and postponed the trip.
He was elected state treasurer in 1952, defeated in 1954. He served as member of the House of Representatives in the 1945,1947 and 1949 sessions from the 37th legislative district. For the past two years he had been an inspector for the attorney general’s licensing division. He was re-appointed to that position recently.
Ray Thompson was born in Antelope township Nov. 3, 1911, son of Grover Cleveland Thompson and Inis Alverson Thompson. He attended school there and graduated from Wahpeton high school in 1928. On April 14, 1934 he married Gladys Katherine Anderson in the church from which funeral rites are being held. To them were born four children; Mrs. Lyla Cram, (Helen Katherine) of Alexandria, VA.; Patricia June, Stephen Wayne and Gerald Raymond at home. He is survived by his brother, Harold Thompson, of Chicago; three sisters, Mrs. Fred Mindeman, of Kindred; Mrs. Charles Bowen, Trenton, N.D and Mrs. Anton Fiest, Yakima, Wash.
Active in community church and lodge, he was superintendent of the Antelope Methodist church Sunday school for two years, clerk of Nansen school board 12 years, vice-chairman of the Richland County Non-partisan League. He was a member of Antelope Methodist church, the masonic Lodge and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He had been chairman of the Richland County Non-partisan League, Republican chairman, director of the Board of the League and a member of the State executive committee of the Nonpartisan League.
Rev. R. R. Curtis will officiate at the last rites. Masonic rites will be held at Fairview cemetery mausoleum. Active pallbearers will be Elmer Hoffert, George Pelvit, George Williams Thomas Stallman, Quentin Boyere, Nick Schmit. Honorary bearers are J.B. Williams, Raymond Olson, Ron Ehlerts, Corwin Moffet, Robert Stone, Lewis Ehrens, Merlyn Miller and Gerald Saxrud.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
The Garden of the Christus is located in the Memorial Gardens, which comprises the northern half of the cemetery.