Marilyn Thompson

Marilyn A. Thompson, 87, Graceville, MN, passed away Monday, November 15, 2021, at Grace Home in Graceville.

Funeral Services will be Saturday, November 20, at 2:00 p.m. at Holden Lutheran Church in rural Beardsley officiated by Minister James Rach. Music will be provided by organist Deb Wentland. The service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page.

Burial will be at a later date in the Hillside Cemetery at Kerkhoven, MN. Urn bearers will be her great-grandchildren, Myah Issendorf, Tylaina Issendorf, Annika Kleindl, Sierra Kleindl, Weston Nilson, and Haven Nilson.

Visitation will be Saturday afternoon one hour prior to the service at the church.

Marilyn Ann was born February 8, 1934, to Vernon and Mae (Larson) Anderson in Brookings, SD. She attended elementary school in Pennock, MN, and graduated from Willmar High School in 1952.

Marilyn married Charles Thompson. They were blessed with four children, Kathy, Howie, Jary and Cindy. In 1957, they moved to Beardsley. After raising her family, Marilyn was employed at Power Sentry in Sisseton. She later worked as a CNA at the Browns Valley Health Center.

Marilyn loved to travel as a family when the kids were young. In the winter of 1971, the family along with Aunt Luann, and Grandpa and Grandma Anderson took a converted purple bus to California over Christmas vacation. The next year it was just the Thompsons in the purple bus, on the road again. This time to Florida. In over two years, that old bus had decals from all 27 states they passed through; often pointing out attractions as Chuck drove by.

Marilyn logged a lot of miles through the years hauling kids to softball, baseball, football, and volleyball games. She was also involved with summer recreation roller skating in the town hall in Beardsley. She loved going to car races-except when her dad drove. She would drive her car with the Murrays and her kids, while Chuck and Don would pull the race car with the pickup. Later she followed Chuck, Darrel, Howie, and Jary when they ran in demolition derbies.

Marilyn liked to listen to country music and some rock music "when they're not screaming!" Among her favorites were Charlie Pride, Eddy Arnold and Elvis. She loved going to Vegas with large groups from the Beardsley area. She also enjoyed singing with the Ecumenical Singers – a group of ladies from Beardsley who sang at events around the area in the 1970s.

Marilyn's hobbies included gardening and playing cards. She was the Queen of Solitaire! She also enjoyed baking. Every February she would turn her kitchen into Mom's Donut Shop. She would make 50 dozen donuts for "Farmers Days" - the biggest tire sale of the year. In 1971, Thompson Oil in Beardsley had the number two Farmers Days in the Country and earned a trip to Hawaii.

In later years, she loved driving to Morris with Virgil Doschadis to meet Marlene Seip and Marilyn Allen for coffee and conversation.

Her greatest joy in life, however, was being Grandma, Grandma T, or Grandma Pickles. She thoroughly enjoyed taking care of the grandkids and helping with schoolwork. She also loved visiting Shelly's Daycare and baking cupcakes and reading stories to the kids.

Survivors include her children, Kathy (Darrel) Issendorf of Beardsley, MN, and Jary (Darcy) Thompson of Hastings, MN; grandchildren, Torey (Michelle) Issendorf, Melissa (Eric) Kleindl, Steve (Katie) Gary, Brady (Kristen) Thompson, Cassidy Thompson, and Jamie (Bryce) Nilson; and nine great-grandchildren.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her son, Howie Thompson; daughter, Cindy Thompson; parents, Vernon and Mae Anderson; and a sister, Luann Anderson.