Obituary for Tommy Jordan Thompson
Tommy Thompson, passed away February 18, 2018. Tommy Jordan Thompson was born in Murfreesboro Arkansas on July 27, 1928 to R S "Sant" and Clara Stokes Thompson. He joined one brother and two sisters, but being the baby didn't last long, pretty soon another little girl showed up.
Tommy's first love was horses. He rode and trained horses which became his first real job. But then, he was inducted into the Army on October 17, 1950 as a medic and transferred to the Army Reserve October 16, 1952. On August 11, 1955 he was honorably discharged.
Upon moving back to Mangum, he found his second love, Little Miss Effie Ritter. After a short romance, one night he asked Effie if she thought she could survive on $65 a week, because if they got married that's all the money he got paid.... Not very romantic, but she said yes!!! So on July 16th, 1953, they made it permanent!! They got hitched!!
Life got exciting then, they moved off to Okmulgee to attend Oklahoma A & M Tech (Go Pokes!!). After school, they returned to Mangum with a bundle of joy tagging along. Tommy worked in many jobs, including running an ice cream truck for the Tastee Freez, working at the Republic Gypsum, and worked for the city of Mangum, running the dump grounds. He became a bull dozer operator with his father-in-law. He eventually became the owner/operator of his own business Thompson Construction. It is hard to run a household on $65 when there are two more adorable mouths to feed.
But probably his most famous job was being Effie's right hand man at the Tastee Freez and the Dairy Queen and as long as she let him eat all the French Fries and Ice Cream he wanted, he was the best employee she had.
When Tommy had free time he would spend it with his first love, the horses. He spent many hours hanging out with the Mangum Mounties, rodeoing, and playdaying and teaching his kids and grandkids how to enjoy the simple things. One of his favorite things to do every day was to pick up Kelsey from school and make their daily trip to the Loop and to the "horse lot". He spent so much time with the Mounties, they finally made him their only "Lifetime Member".
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents Sant and Clara Thompson, his brother George McDonald, two sisters, Jesse Mae Thompson and Verda Passmore and his life-long best friend Jim Tipton.
Tommy leaves behind his wife Effie of the home in Mangum, his son Rocky and wife Dana, Mangum, his daughter Margaret and husband James, Altus and his daughter Paula Bethea, Mangum. Papa's grandkids and great grandkids "the lights of his life" are Stoney Thompson, Oklahoma City and his kids Brooklyn and Jasper; Dustin Thompson, Oklahoma City, April and Chris Chapman, Altus and their kids Makahla, Jazmin, Angel and Nicolas; Danielle and Vinnie Baugh, Walsenberg, Missouri and Kelsey Bethea, Mangum. And Papa's extra grandchildren: Ty Cobb, Zarah and Hadley Zachary, Cody, Candance, Laken, and Casey Zachary, and Cale and Caylor Zachary; John, Katie and Lizzie McMahan, Sam, Madison, Gracie and Hannah McMahan, and Collin, Liam and Finley McMahan. He is also survived by one sister, Loree Potter, Springtown, Tx and a host of other relatives and friends.
The family greeted friends Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 at Greer Funeral Home.
Services for Tommy will be held Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Living Water Pentecostal Church, Mangum. Private family burial will follow.
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Tommy's first love was horses. He rode and trained horses which became his first real job. But then, he was inducted into the Army on October 17, 1950 as a medic and transferred to the Army Reserve October 16, 1952. On August 11, 1955 he was honorably discharged.
Upon moving back to Mangum, he found his second love, Little Miss Effie Ritter. After a short romance, one night he asked Effie if she thought she could survive on $65 a week, because if they got married that's all the money he got paid.... Not very romantic, but she said yes!!! So on July 16th, 1953, they made it permanent!! They got hitched!!
Life got exciting then, they moved off to Okmulgee to attend Oklahoma A & M Tech (Go Pokes!!). After school, they returned to Mangum with a bundle of joy tagging along. Tommy worked in many jobs, including running an ice cream truck for the Tastee Freez, working at the Republic Gypsum, and worked for the city of Mangum, running the dump grounds. He became a bull dozer operator with his father-in-law. He eventually became the owner/operator of his own business Thompson Construction. It is hard to run a household on $65 when there are two more adorable mouths to feed.
But probably his most famous job was being Effie's right hand man at the Tastee Freez and the Dairy Queen and as long as she let him eat all the French Fries and Ice Cream he wanted, he was the best employee she had.
When Tommy had free time he would spend it with his first love, the horses. He spent many hours hanging out with the Mangum Mounties, rodeoing, and playdaying and teaching his kids and grandkids how to enjoy the simple things. One of his favorite things to do every day was to pick up Kelsey from school and make their daily trip to the Loop and to the "horse lot". He spent so much time with the Mounties, they finally made him their only "Lifetime Member".
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents Sant and Clara Thompson, his brother George McDonald, two sisters, Jesse Mae Thompson and Verda Passmore and his life-long best friend Jim Tipton.
Tommy leaves behind his wife Effie of the home in Mangum, his son Rocky and wife Dana, Mangum, his daughter Margaret and husband James, Altus and his daughter Paula Bethea, Mangum. Papa's grandkids and great grandkids "the lights of his life" are Stoney Thompson, Oklahoma City and his kids Brooklyn and Jasper; Dustin Thompson, Oklahoma City, April and Chris Chapman, Altus and their kids Makahla, Jazmin, Angel and Nicolas; Danielle and Vinnie Baugh, Walsenberg, Missouri and Kelsey Bethea, Mangum. And Papa's extra grandchildren: Ty Cobb, Zarah and Hadley Zachary, Cody, Candance, Laken, and Casey Zachary, and Cale and Caylor Zachary; John, Katie and Lizzie McMahan, Sam, Madison, Gracie and Hannah McMahan, and Collin, Liam and Finley McMahan. He is also survived by one sister, Loree Potter, Springtown, Tx and a host of other relatives and friends.
The family greeted friends Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 at Greer Funeral Home.
Services for Tommy will be held Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Living Water Pentecostal Church, Mangum. Private family burial will follow.
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Previous Events
Viewing
Tuesday
20
Feb
6:00 PM
- 8:00 PM
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, OK 73554
Cemetery Details
Location
Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK
2648 NE Jake Dunn Road
Elgin, OK 73538
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