Obituary of Erma Lena Thompson

Erma Lena Thompson was born the fourth in a family of 12 children, in McMillan, WI, on December 22, 1912, to the late Richard and Anna Greunke. Erma, formerly of Arlington, VA, was peacefully called to her eternal home with Jesus, at the age 101, on Thursday, November 6, 2014, at the Clarehouse in Tulsa, OK, following several weeks of declining health at the Sterling House. Erma was a graduate of Auburndale Wisconsin High School and Wright Business College. She spent most of her 45 year career working for various federal government agencies in the Washington, DC, area, retired in 1978 and moved to Tulsa, OK, in 1991 when her son, John, convinced her that he was not moving from Oklahoma. Erma was a charter member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Arlington, VA, and was always very active. She was a faithful listener of the Lutheran Hour; a member of the LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League) in all the churches she attended and enjoyed helping out in any way she was able. In addition to her church work, she enjoyed gardening, sewing, baking, and studying the Bible. She was always willing to donate to any charities, especially Lutheran orientated. Erma was preceded in death by her son, Thomas R. Thompson; three brothers, Leonard, Armin and Ceylon Greunke and five sisters, Ella Anderson, Alma Wilhorn, Estella Wilhorn, Helen Peterson, & Viola Corbeille. Erma is survived by three brothers, Richard, Orville and Delbert Greunke; her son, John A Thompson and wife, Kathleen, Tulsa, OK; one grandson, David J. Thompson and wife, Rebecca, Springdale, AR, and one great- granddaughter, Kierstin. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Bethesda Lutheran Communities, 600 Hoffman Drive, Watertown, WI 53094 or Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141.