Day before wedding of Jennie E. Jensen and Irving Elmer Thompson Home of Kristen Jensen, Wessington Springs December 26, 1905 Back Row: Otto Jensen, Carl Jensen Jennie Jensen, Irving E. Thompson, Johanna Severson, Veona Jensen, Minnie Jensen, Magnus Jensen, Minnie Troutman (Niece of Kristen Jensen). Front Row: Louis Jensen, Mary Jensen, Leonel Jensen (being held) Bertha jensen, Kristen Jensen, Maren Jensen, Philura Russell Thompson, Charles Elmer Thompson, Nels Jensen (Standing in back of Charles Thompson)

Charles J. Thompson
and
Arline Ann Wolcott

Arline Ann Wolcott Thompson   1918 – 1995

      Funeral services for Arline Thompson, 86, of Chamberlain were 2 PM on Friday, January 21, 2005 at the United Church of Christ in Chamberlain with burial in the Riverview Cemetery at Chamberlain.

     Arline Ann Wolcott was born May 4, 1918 to Addie and Harvey Wolcott. She was reared with four siblings on the family homestead south of Reliance and attended Reliance high school until her junior year when she moved to Hot Springs with her older sister Elva Eleeson to care for their mother. Arline returned home after her mothers death and attended Chamberlain high school, where she graduated in 1937. During that time she lived with her sister Elva and Tex Eleeson. Arline worked in their café and ironed shirts to earn her room and board.

     Ft. Thompson became her home for the next 10 years where she recalled surviving floods and draught while milking 18 cows by hand every day. Arline periodically was a substitute teacher in the surrounding schools.

     In 1952 she married Charles J. Thompson and moved to Iona, South Dakota where she would live for the next 30 years. In 1968 the family was in a serious automobile accident which nearly cost Arline her life. Arline survived a crushed arm, broken jaw, collar bone, pelvis and ribs - a total of 18 broken bones, and a collapsed lung. Arline was a model of inner strength, making a full recovery.

     Arline sported a great sense of humor and was known to be quite the prankster. She loved to listen to music and dance. Known as a classy lady, Arline was always impeccably dressed to match her beautiful smile that could brighten anyone's day.

     Arline never knew a stranger and nobody ever went hungry if you stopped to visit Arline at her home. She was known as a wonderful cook and wouldn't be satisfied until she had fed you.

     Arline struggled the last year and a half with liver cancer which she often referred to as a bad case of West Nile which she reassured everyone she would recover from in order to ensure that nobody would feel sorry for her plight. The last 5 months of her life she lived with her daughters Kay and Lori in Pierre. An experience that both girls claim they will cherish for the rest of their lives. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and friend. She will be missed by all.

     Arline passed away on January 16, 2005 at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, SD at the age of 86 years, 8 months, and 12 days. Arline is preceded in death by her father and mother, Addie and Harvey Wolcott, four siblings, Orville Wolcott, Elva Eleeson, Evelyn Parkening and Oral Wolcott, her son Gary Truman, and her beloved husband Charlie Thompson.

     Surviving family members include daughters Kay Thompson-Tieszen and Lori Thompson, son-in-law Dick Tieszen, daughter-in-law Valencia Truman, grandsons Shawn Truman, Ryker Tieszen, Kyler Tieszen and granddaughter Angela Truman, sister-in-laws Virginia Wolcott and Mae Wolcott, and many nieces and nephews.  Lyman County Herald

Charles J. Thompson  1815 – 1999

     Charles J. Thompson, know by many as C.J., was born September 12, 1915 at Iona, SD of parents I.E. and Jennie (Jensen) Thompson where he was raised among 6 sisters.  Charlie attended Iona grade school and high school before joining the U.S. Army on Feb. 26, 1941 where he served iinitially in the 4^th Calvary at Ft. Meade, SD. War broke out after the Japanese bombed Pearl Habor and Charlie transferred to service in Troop A of the 125^th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron in Europe where he earned the European African Middle Eastern Theatre Service Medal, American Theater Service Medal, an American Defense Service Medal and 3 overseas service bars. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 31, 1945 after serving in Europe during WWII. While in the Army he attained the rank of Sergeant and later returned to Iona and the ranch his parents had homesteaded. 

     Charlie and Arline, who were high school sweethearts, later married on Oct. 22, 1952 at Cheyenne, WY returning to settle at the Thompson homestead where they began raising their children.  Charlie very much enjoyed his horses and cattle, a love that kept him on the ranch for most of his adult life.  He was known by his family as a backroom inventor of a variety of ideas and is remembered by many as Mr. Fix – it. 

     Among his memorable accomplishments with family is a parasailing adventure and landing a 161 lb. striped marlin in Mexico at the age of 80, another indication of his youthful disposition.  Charlie was a faithful member of the local Chamberlain Kiwanis Club and a devoted member of the United Church of Christ.  After retiring to Chamberlain in 1982 Charlie traveled frequently with his entire family, spent much of his time fishing and became a common sight along the shores of the Missouri.  Golf was a new found love after retirement and Charlie was once recognized in a Chamberlain newspaper with his golfing buddies to have golfed every month one year.  Piloting his J-3 airplane was a passion for most of his years.  C.J. later became a fan of soccer and spent much of his time watching his grandsons Ryker and Kyler Tieszen of Pierre.  C.J. will be dearly missed by his wife and family, including the many nieces and nephew who will always have fond memories of being at the ranch with Charlie and by his many neighbors and friends.  He will always be remembered for his smiling face, cheerful disposition, and a hearty handshake. 

      Charlie passed away on Oct. 1, 1999 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls at the age of 84 years and 20 days.  He is survived by his wife Arline of Chamberlain; 2 daughters, Kay Ann Thompson-Tieszen and her husband Richard of Pierre, Lori Lee Thompson of Sioux Falls: 1 son, Jim Thompson of Austin, Texas; 3 sisters, Irene Ibsen and Wilma Turner both of Rapid City and Ellys Brignull of Winter Haven, Florida.  He is also survived by 6 grandchildren, Shawn and Angela Truman, Ryker and Kyler Tieszen and Corrin and Clayton Thompson.  He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 sisters, Lucille Prchal of Britton, SD, Leola Vander Linden of Calistoga, Calif., Edlyn Smolik of Rapid City, SD and his aviator stepson Gary Truman, formerly of Pierre, SD.