Edith Mathilda Thompson

(Nee Wiederhoeft), was born on March 24, 1919 to William Wiederhoeft and Meta (Wolff) Wiederhoeft in Wausau, Wisconsin in the house on Edwards St that had been built by her grandfather. She entered God's family through baptism on April 20. The family moved to Wisconsin Rapids when Edith was 6, where she completed public primary school. She was confirmed in 1932 by Pastor Emil Walther. After her junior year of high school, the family moved to La Crosse, where Edith graduated from Central High School in 1937.
That same year she enrolled in La Crosse State College, planning to go on to a librarianship program in Madison. However, she decided to stay on at La Crosse two extra years to major in secondary education. It was during that time that she met Lloyd Thompson, who had transferred to La Crosse in the fall of 1940. Their courtship started in the fall of 1940, and they were engaged just after they both graduated in 1942. By this time, America was engulfed by WWII. When it became clear that Lloyd would be drafted and sent off to war in the fall, the couple was married on Sept. 18, 1942. For the first year of their marriage, the couple lived apart, Edith teaching in Dover MN and Lloyd doing basic training first in Missouri, then in Denver. In June of 1943, Edith joined Lloyd in Denver, where they were able to spend an entire year together. It was also a sad year, as Lloyd's brother Glen and Edith's brother Don were both killed in the war effort. In fall of 1944, Lloyd shipped out for duty in the South Pacific, and Edith moved back to La Crosse to take care of her grieving mother and to resume teaching in Dover. When Lloyd was discharged in 1945, the couple reunited in La Crosse. The Lord provided a job for Lloyd almost immediately. He began teaching and coaching at Onalaska High School in January 1946. Soon Edith was teaching English there as well and directing a school play. 1947 was remembered for an accident. In a gym class, Lloyd was hit in the face and severely injured by a thrown bat. Several weeks in the hospital were followed by reconstructive surgery throughout the summer. While Edith was overseeing his recovery, she was also pregnant with Pat, who was born in early 1948. Pat was soon followed by Glen in 1950 and Don in 1951. In both 1950 and 1952, Lloyd's basketball team from lowly Onalaska made it to the "elite eight" of the state championships (back when there were no divisions). In the spring of 1952, the successful coach received and accepted a call to Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan.
After having lived in old and cramped apartments in Onalaska, the move in 1952 to a new house on Bay Street in Saginaw was almost like a dream, as was the environment of working in the Christian community of MLS and having the kids attend St. Paul's Lutheran School. Two more girls, Bonnie (1953) and Lori (1960) were added to the family. During the 16 Saginaw years, Edith taught kindergarten at St. Paul's and girls' physical education at MLS; however, most of her time was spent raising the five youngsters and cheering them on at ball games.
In 1968, Lloyd accepted a call to be athletic director at Wisconsin Lutheran Teachers College in Milwaukee. Edith worked in the library at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. In 1970, the family moved to Watertown, where Lloyd became athletic director, coach, and professor at Northwestern College. Edith is remembered by many NWC students as the go-to person to find what they were looking for in the college library. And, of course, Edith was still cheering on Lloyd's teams, and those of her kids. When Lloyd retired in 1985, the couple moved to the Elkhorn area, where they enjoyed country living and providing a place for the ever-increasing number of grandchildren to play. Here, Edith had a chance to spend more time developing her life-long interest in art, becoming well-known in the area for her beautiful Norwegian decorative painting called rosemaling. Lloyd, however, was increasingly afflicted by Parkinson's disease. Edith's love and patience in caring for him was seen by all who knew them. The couple moved to Blue Spring Lake in Palmyra, where Bonnie could assist with Lloyd. Following Lloyd's death in 1999, Edith moved to Luther Haven in Milwaukee, where she lived the final 15 years of her full life. Between visits from her children, 15 grandchildren, and 24 great grand-children, she was active as secretary for the craft club, took part in chat groups, played skip-bo, and wrote regular book reviews for the Luther Haven newsletter. Although increasingly fragile and beset by several short hospital stays, she was able to remain independent, clear-minded, and supportive of all those around her up to the end of her life. Her family will miss her dearly, but they are happy that she is now reunited with Lloyd and enjoying eternity with her Lord and Savior.

Edith was preceded in death by her three brothers, Donald, Waldemar, and George; son-in-law Steven Wiedmer, and great grandson Jonah Krauklis.

She is survived by her five children: Patricia Wiedmer, Glen (Beth) Thompson, Donald (Maxine) Thompson, Bonnie (Dave) Nommensen, and Lori (James) Unke; her 15 grandchildren Daniel Wiedmer, Rachael Wiedmer, Dorothy Kulke, Luke Thompson, Matthew Thompson, Rebecca Palacios, Kristen Schultz, Nathan Thompson, Bradley Nommensen, Jennifer Krauklis, Julie Nommensen, Thomas Nommensen, Daniel Unke, Jacob Unke, Angela Schmidt,; and by her 23 great-grandchildren: Soren Thompson, Oscar Kulke, Edgar Kulke, Paul Thompson, Elliot Thompson, Grace Thompson, Zair Palacios, Nain Palacios, Aquila Palacios, Sinai Palacios, Jael Palacios, Jairo Palacios, Ian Schultz, Abel Krauklis, Luke Krauklis, Benjamin Krauklis, Selah Krauklis, Cara Unke, Mallory Unke, Jamison Unke, Haley Schmidt, Olivia Schmidt, Sophie Schmidt, Shayla Wiedmer, Evie Luebbe, Dayton Luebbe, Daysha Luebbe, Cameran Garland, Jaxsyn Garland.

Visitation at SALEM EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH 6840 North 107th Street Saturday, December 20, 12:30-1:30 PM. Funeral Service 1:30 PM. Burial to follow at 3:30 PM at Hickory Grove Cemetery, Spring Prairie, WI. In lieu of flowers memorials appreciated to the Lloyd and Edith Thompson Scholarship Fund at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, MI.

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