Sula Pearl (Eads) Thompson, 104, passed away on August 26, 2018. She was born December 12, 1913 to Alvin Edward and Dora Alice (Harmon) Eads in their home in Wayne County, Kentucky. A doctor and midwife assisted in the delivery. Sula Pearl was the seventh of ten children born to Edward and Dora Eads. Her siblings were Lilly, Effie, Lexie, Della, Herbert, Edward, Lois, Irene, and Claude.

The family moved from Kentucky to Indiana when Pearl was thirteen years old. They first moved to New Castle temporarily then to a farm in Shirley, Indiana. They later bought a farm in Economy, Indiana where they settled permanently. Pearl graduated from high school in Economy and went on to take business courses through correspondence.

Pearl met Nolan Cedric Thompson through a cousin and was married about a year and a half later on September 29, 1932. The wedding took place in her parents’ home. They resided for a time either at her parents’ or his parents’ home until they got their first apartment in Muncie, Indiana. After a few years they moved to Winchester, Indiana where they rented several homes until the bought their house on Route 3. Nolan and Pearl were married fifty-three and a half years until Nolan’s death on February 18, 1986. They were blessed with three sons: Delbert who died at eighteen months, Robert Lee born October 16, 1934, and Eugene born August 17, 1936. All three sons were born at her parents’ home in Economy with the doctor, a midwife and her mother assisting in the deliveries.

During World War II Pearl worked at Kelly Gun Sites for approximately two years running a lathe. After the war she continued to work holding jobs at J.C. Penney, Robin’s Gift Shop where she worked continuously for fourteen years. She also pitched in as a clerk at various other stores around Winchester when needed.

In June 2006, Pearl gave up her home on Route 3 after forty-seven years and moved to Cedar Point Retirement community where she had her own condominium. She continued to cook and care for herself. She liked taking care of her cat, Fritz, and later Skippy and her many plants which thrived under her care. Pearl recently moved to Greenwood Community South to be closer to family. She also enjoyed reading and being on the go when anyone would take her. She even enjoyed lake life whenever her son, Gene, took her to the lake. She will go out on the pontoon boat but had given up going out in the speed boat.

Her life was not without challenges. She was in a boating accident where someone broadsided their boat capsizing the boat and throwing Pearl, Nolan and their two sons into the murky water. Pearl managed to hang on to her two young sons until help arrived. Nolan and Pearl were also in a very serious head on automobile accident that put them in the hospital for quite some time. Then they went through a long recovery period. During this time Bob and Gene were shuffled around to various homes of family members. In 1992 Pearl underwent breast cancer surgery. Later a routine colon exam resulted in a ruptured colon which took quite a lengthy time to heal. On one of her trips to the lake she fell and broke her arm as she was getting out of the speed boat.

Sula Pearl Eads Thompson was the matriarch of her family that includes two sons Robert (Larie) Thompson and Eugene (Charlene) Thompson; five grandchildren Mark Thompson, Martisha (Duane) Webb, Shane Thompson, Tamara (George) Badger, Clarissa (Evan) Tesler with one deceased; two step-grandchildren Shelia Loveland-Miller and Heather (Michael) Taylor; eight great-grandchildren Jordan Webb, Christina (Keith) Himelick, Rachel (Micah) Himelick, Marjorie (Derreck) Lane, Elizabeth (Mark) Haskett, Benjamin Badger, Emily Badger, Paige Thompson and three step-great-grandchildren Lauren Taylor, Ashley Taylor, Bradford Miller; and seven (soon to be eight) great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in passing by her husband Nolan; infant son Delbert; parents; nine siblings and granddaughter Melissa Wigger.