April, 21, 2002
Norman, OK
The Rev. Edwin Joseph “Joe” Thompson died Sunday, April 21, 2002 at the Norman, OK Veterans Center after a short illness. He donated his body to the University Of Oklahoma Medical Center. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Norman.
Father Thompson was born on July 30, 1927 to Roscoe and Ether Thompson, lifelong Norman residents. In 1945 he graduated from Norman High School where he was a member of the football team and band and showed a number of projects in woodworking shop exhibits. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving onboard the USS Lafayette in the Pacific Ocean, and was also a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He attended the University of Oklahoma and was a partner with his father and brothers in the Thompson family businesses.
He studied for the priesthood at Assumption Theological Seminary, San Antonio, Texas, and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Norman at St. Joseph’s church in 1962. He was an assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s Old Cathedral in Oklahoma City, was pastor at St. Francis Church in Sulphur, OK with rural missions in Madill and Tishomingo, OK. His final pastorate was at St. Mary’s Church in Guthrie, OK.
He then became a maintenance supervisor with the U.S. National Park Service with assignments at Padre Island, Organ Pipe National Monument, Mount Rainer and Curecanti National Parks. He retired to Norman, where he was active in land development and as an organizer of the Oklahoma Emu Raiser’s Association. He enjoyed traveling, fishing, construction, discussing politics and theology, barbershop singing, telling jokes, and Oklahoma University football.
His father, Roscoe, and sister-in-law Penny preceded him in death. Survivors include his mother Esther; Brothers Jerry, Pat and wife Marian, Gus and wife Anna of Norman and Mike and wife Kay of Wichita, Kansas; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial has been established with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Norman, OK.
[Editorial Comment: Joe was one of the very finest, wisest, and most multi-talented human beings I have ever known. I’m certain heaven is a more exciting place once Joe made it home. He played high school football with the actor James Garner. Joe said James Garner’s personality was just like the Maverick Character in his earlier T.V. roles]