Funeral services for noted Wisconsin aviator, Melvin J. Thompson, 89, 2408 Illinois Avenue, New Holstein, were held Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church in Valders.
The Revs. Carl Peter and Michael Hamilton officiated. Burial was in Valders West Cemetery in the town of Liberty, Manitowoc County.
Mr. Thompson died Tuesday, July 1, at Calumet Memorial Hospital, Chilton following a brief illness.
He was born March 17, 1897 in Quarry, the son of Knut and Ingrid Gigstad Thompson. He attended Quarry schools.
On Dec. 31, 1936, he was married to Alma Schramm at Waukegan, Illinois.
Mr. Thompson was an aviator most of his life, building his own plane in 1919 at the family farm in Quarry. In 1924, he bought his first commercially made plane and started Thompson Flying service, through which he was involved in barnstorming, stunt flying and providing airplane rides and flight instruction.
In 1928, he came to Kohler Airport where he was the person pilot of Walter Kohler Sr., Flying a Ryan B-1 monoplane, sister ship to Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Kohler later sold Mr. Thompson the plane.
Mr. Thompson managed the Kohler Airport for 31 years. From 1960 to 1968, he was manger of New Holstein Municipal Airport.
On his retirement, Mr. Thompson was honored by the Wisconsin Legislature and the City of New Holstein in 1973 for his aviation efforts.
He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son, M. Joel of Novato, California; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Kay) Werbeckes of Kohler and Mrs. Ronald (Tama) Ganski of Rothschild; and five grandchildren.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers.
A memorial fund has been established in Mr. Thompson’s name for Faith Lutheran Church, Valders, and the American Cancer Society.
Chilton Times Journal – July 10, 1986
The Revs. Carl Peter and Michael Hamilton officiated. Burial was in Valders West Cemetery in the town of Liberty, Manitowoc County.
Mr. Thompson died Tuesday, July 1, at Calumet Memorial Hospital, Chilton following a brief illness.
He was born March 17, 1897 in Quarry, the son of Knut and Ingrid Gigstad Thompson. He attended Quarry schools.
On Dec. 31, 1936, he was married to Alma Schramm at Waukegan, Illinois.
Mr. Thompson was an aviator most of his life, building his own plane in 1919 at the family farm in Quarry. In 1924, he bought his first commercially made plane and started Thompson Flying service, through which he was involved in barnstorming, stunt flying and providing airplane rides and flight instruction.
In 1928, he came to Kohler Airport where he was the person pilot of Walter Kohler Sr., Flying a Ryan B-1 monoplane, sister ship to Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Kohler later sold Mr. Thompson the plane.
Mr. Thompson managed the Kohler Airport for 31 years. From 1960 to 1968, he was manger of New Holstein Municipal Airport.
On his retirement, Mr. Thompson was honored by the Wisconsin Legislature and the City of New Holstein in 1973 for his aviation efforts.
He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son, M. Joel of Novato, California; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Kay) Werbeckes of Kohler and Mrs. Ronald (Tama) Ganski of Rothschild; and five grandchildren.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers.
A memorial fund has been established in Mr. Thompson’s name for Faith Lutheran Church, Valders, and the American Cancer Society.
Chilton Times Journal – July 10, 1986
Funeral services for noted Wisconsin aviator, Melvin J. Thompson, 89, 2408 Illinois Avenue, New Holstein, were held Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church in Valders.
The Revs. Carl Peter and Michael Hamilton officiated. Burial was in Valders West Cemetery in the town of Liberty, Manitowoc County.
Mr. Thompson died Tuesday, July 1, at Calumet Memorial Hospital, Chilton following a brief illness.
He was born March 17, 1897 in Quarry, the son of Knut and Ingrid Gigstad Thompson. He attended Quarry schools.
On Dec. 31, 1936, he was married to Alma Schramm at Waukegan, Illinois.
Mr. Thompson was an aviator most of his life, building his own plane in 1919 at the family farm in Quarry. In 1924, he bought his first commercially made plane and started Thompson Flying service, through which he was involved in barnstorming, stunt flying and providing airplane rides and flight instruction.
In 1928, he came to Kohler Airport where he was the person pilot of Walter Kohler Sr., Flying a Ryan B-1 monoplane, sister ship to Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Kohler later sold Mr. Thompson the plane.
Mr. Thompson managed the Kohler Airport for 31 years. From 1960 to 1968, he was manger of New Holstein Municipal Airport.
On his retirement, Mr. Thompson was honored by the Wisconsin Legislature and the City of New Holstein in 1973 for his aviation efforts.
He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son, M. Joel of Novato, California; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Kay) Werbeckes of Kohler and Mrs. Ronald (Tama) Ganski of Rothschild; and five grandchildren.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers.
A memorial fund has been established in Mr. Thompson’s name for Faith Lutheran Church, Valders, and the American Cancer Society.
Chilton Times Journal – July 10, 1986
The Revs. Carl Peter and Michael Hamilton officiated. Burial was in Valders West Cemetery in the town of Liberty, Manitowoc County.
Mr. Thompson died Tuesday, July 1, at Calumet Memorial Hospital, Chilton following a brief illness.
He was born March 17, 1897 in Quarry, the son of Knut and Ingrid Gigstad Thompson. He attended Quarry schools.
On Dec. 31, 1936, he was married to Alma Schramm at Waukegan, Illinois.
Mr. Thompson was an aviator most of his life, building his own plane in 1919 at the family farm in Quarry. In 1924, he bought his first commercially made plane and started Thompson Flying service, through which he was involved in barnstorming, stunt flying and providing airplane rides and flight instruction.
In 1928, he came to Kohler Airport where he was the person pilot of Walter Kohler Sr., Flying a Ryan B-1 monoplane, sister ship to Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Kohler later sold Mr. Thompson the plane.
Mr. Thompson managed the Kohler Airport for 31 years. From 1960 to 1968, he was manger of New Holstein Municipal Airport.
On his retirement, Mr. Thompson was honored by the Wisconsin Legislature and the City of New Holstein in 1973 for his aviation efforts.
He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son, M. Joel of Novato, California; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Kay) Werbeckes of Kohler and Mrs. Ronald (Tama) Ganski of Rothschild; and five grandchildren.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers.
A memorial fund has been established in Mr. Thompson’s name for Faith Lutheran Church, Valders, and the American Cancer Society.
Chilton Times Journal – July 10, 1986
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