Earl June Thompson of rural Newtown, Missouri died on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at Wright Memorial Hospital after a short battle with lung cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, 2012 at the Lucerne Christian Church with a visitation to be held one hour prior. Burial will be in the Newtown Cemetery. A family visitation will be held from 6 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday at the Payne Funeral Home of Galt.
He was born June 24, 1922 to Milla Opal Bruse and Elmer Robert Thompson on a farm five miles west of Lucerne in Putnam County. He attended grade school at Buchanan and graduated from Ravanna High School in 1940. Following graduation he enlisted in the army in June 1942, serving in the Pacific area and was in active duty from 1942 until 1946. June was wounded on April 12, 1945 as his regiment, the “Deadeyes” 96th Infantry Division, stormed the beach at Okinawa. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster Purple Heart, Expert Rifle Medal, American Campaign Medal for WWII, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal for his service to his country.
June married Idell Sandford on August 18, 1951 in Kansas City, Missouri. The couple set up housekeeping on a farm northwest of Newtown where they lived until they purchased the “Brud” Holt farm west of Newtown in 1959.
June was a full-time farmer and became a substitute mail carrier in 1965. He became a full-time rural letter carrier out of Powersville, MO in 1982 and transferred to Newtown Post Office in 1985. He retired from the postal service in 1992. June & Idell celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August 2011 with a gathering of family and friends at their farm west of Newtown.
June was a charter member of the Lucerne American Legion Post 249, serving as Commander and as 2nd District Commander for two years. He was a Past Master and Trustee of Putnam Lodge No. 190, Past Patron of Medicine Chapter #140 Order of the Eastern Star, Past President of the Newtown Lions Club, Moila Shrine – St. Joseph, and MOIA Shrine Club of Unionville. He was also a member of the Lucerne Methodist Church. Since retirement June enjoys spending time with family & friends, attending all of his grandchildrens activities, and golfing and hunting with his grandsons.
June is survived by his wife, Idell, of the home; three daughters: Shani Kinney and her husband Frank of Trenton; Sharon Thompson of Alma, MO; Shelly Fauss and her husband Ronnie of Corder, MO; five grandchildren: Katie, Kenton, & Kade Kinney of Trenton, MO; Sam and Alex Fauss of Corder, MO; one sister, Sara Fowler and husband Joe of The Villages, Lady Lake, Florida; one sister-in-law, Marjorie Thompson of Princeton; numerous nieces & nephews, great nieces & nephews, and great-great nieces & nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Robert David; brothers Gerald Thompson and Lloyd Thompson; and sister Fern Fowler.
Memorial donations can be made to the Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Whitaker Eads Funeral Home, 813 Custer, Trenton, MO 64683.
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