E. Burdett Thompson departed this earthy life at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney, NE on July 8, 2019, at the age of 92 years while holding the hand of his beloved wife Ethelyn with other family members at side.
Memorial services will by Saturday, August 3, 2019, at 10:30 am at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE with Pastor J.H. Schroeder officiating. Memorials to Sargent Church of Christ and Ericson Pible Bible Camp. Interment with Military Honors in the Dry Valley Cemetery at a later date. Govier Brothers Mortuary are assisting the family. Online condolences can be left at www.govierbrothers.com.
Burdett was born November 9, 1926 nine miles south of Sargent to his parents Leonard and Mary (Emerson) Thompson at the farm of his grandparents, Eddie and Vina Emerson. Years later his mother told him there was a bad storm and Dr. had a hard time getting to the house.
In the 30’s when Burdett was growing up his family moved a lot to find work to feed their family. Burdett went to five different schools in one year. He started at a country school North of Morrill, NE. He rode in a steel wheeled wagon hauling sugar beets pulled by a team of horses named Ned and Shorty. Later they moved to Henry then into Wyoming and attended school in Torrington. Then back to Lyman. He learned to work on the farm at a young age. He was always a hard worker and taught his family to work and the benefits of a job well done, no matter what the job was. He was the oldest of ten children. As a teenager he had to quit school and help on the farm.
Burdett was drafted in 1945 and proudly served his country in the army. He took basic training in Paris, Texas. He was deployed to Asiatic Pacific Campain, Philippines; Leyte; Guam; Luzon in 1945 and 1946. He was an instructor with heavy equipment. Burdett was a Sergeant at 19 years old. In 1946 he received an honorable discharge. We really enjoyed the WW II Veterans Hero flight and he was honored to put the wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Burdett accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized in the Packer Lake south of Lyman, NE at the age of 20.
Ranching was his favorite occupation and farming became a part of that too. Over the years he did many different jobs. He worked at the Halsey Forest Reserve, graded roads, drove school bus. He taught Sunday school classes for boys and served on the church board, the Ericson Pible Bible Camp board for 35 years and was county Supervisor for 8 years. He was working on a ranch north of Thedford in 1948 – 49 blizzard. They used horses and a half-track to get around in the snow to feed the livestock. He didn’t get off the ranch for 3 months.
On November 12, 1947 he was married to Ethelyn McCully at the Lyman Christian Church. To this marriage three children were born, Wesley, Geraldine (Geri) and Clyde. We started going to the Sargent Christian Church 66 years ago when there were only five people attending. With our five it made ten and it has grown ever since.
Burdett loved to tease the grandchildren when he got a chance.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ethelyn; children Wesley (Betty) Thompson of O’Neill, Clyde (Lisa) of Comstock, Douglas (Kathy) Porter of Lincoln.
Grandchildren; Molly (Brett) Sholes, Merrit (Jerusha) Thompson, Sheila (Eric) Gruber, Stacy (Mike) Hatten, Serena Porter, Kelsey Schultz, Troy Hosek, Michelle Copley and Haley Thompson.
Great-grandchildren Savannah, Spencer, Amara, Josiah, Emily, Kennedy, Creed, Cai, Vienna, Eli, Hana, Mamusha, Amber (Seth), September, James, Damion and Mia.
Great-Greatgrandchildren; Finn.
He is also survived by Sisters Patricia Stone, and Sharon Gilmore. Brothers Lester (Gloria) Thompson, Farish (Sue) Thompson,
He is preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Sr. and Mary Thompson, daughter Geraldine Kay Porter. Brothers and Sisters Denton Thompson, Darrel (Donna) Thompson, Idell (Floyd) Bower, Isma (Bob) Nab, Leonard Jr. Thompson. Grandson Leonard Austin.
A sister, Sharon Gilmore age 76 died on July 12, 2019 in Springfield Mo.
