Carl Eugene Thompson

Carl Eugene Thompson, 95, left this world on November 9, 2022, from his home in Naples, Florida.

He was born on August 6, 1927, in the community of Dodd’s Bridge in Sullivan County Indiana, to Walter and Mary Kraus Thompson.    His mother died when he was only 18 months old.  His father wasn’t able to care for him, so he was raised by his grandparents, Joe and Glenn Kraus of Dodd’s Bridge.

He attended Graysville School.  Growing up on his grandparents’ farm, he learned to work at an early age, helping with household chores, farming, and firing the steam engine for their sawmill.  The summer he was 13 he volunteered to work at a neighbor’s much larger sawmill, since most of the men were off fighting in the war.  He earned a man’s wages for firing their steam engine, and he walked three miles to and from work every day.  In addition to his responsibilities at home, he worked on neighboring farms the next two summers.  He dropped out of school in the fall of his 10th year, to harvest the corn, because his Grandad had a broken arm.  After working at various jobs, he went into the Army, and served as a MP in Panama.

He married Mary Hayden, also of Dodd’s Bridge, on April 10, 1948.  They stayed in the community and eventually bought his grandparents’ farm, where they raised five children.

During those early years they accepted Jesus Christ, and began a long, active, and faithful commitment to their faith and the church.  Mary played the piano, they sang and taught in the church, and ministered in a nursing home into their 80s. 

His life’s work included farming, working on oil rigs, the State Highway Department, Terre Haute Federal Prison, operating his bulldozer, partnering in a construction company with Jim Hayes, and establishing the Sullivan and Linton Carpet Centers.  While working two and sometimes three of the above jobs at a time, he managed to do his own maintenance and mechanical repairs, and also enlarge and remodel their home.    After retiring at the age of 47, he took an old city bus, and designed and built a beautiful motor home, which they enjoyed for about ten winters. 

Remarkably, even in his working years, he found time for fun, and he played as hard as he worked.  Through the years, he enjoyed motorcycling, ice skating, snow sledding, roller skating, horseback riding, gardening, camping, boating, water skiing, skateboarding, golf, bicycling, traveling, long walks, pool, Scabble, Dominoes, old movies, and watching the birds and other wildlife that seemed to be drawn to him.  He was an avid reader of the Bible, books about the Bible, and anything written by Louis L ’Amour.
When their home burned in 1987, they bought a house in Naples, Florida, near where they had spent many winters camping.   The house had a large yard, enough projects to keep him busy, and plenty of room for family and friends.  They made the trip back to Indiana at least twice a year.

Mary died September 25, 2015, after 67 years of marriage.  Carl returned to Naples alone and added housekeeping and cooking to his responsibilities, which gave him an even greater appreciation for the wife who had been the love of his life.   He continued to drive back to Indiana several times a year (over one hundred round trips) to visit and help family.  The fall of 2021 his youngest son, Walter, went to live with him; making it possible for Carl to spend his last year in the place he considered “paradise on earth”.
He is proceeded in death by his wife, Mary Thompson, a brother, Walter Thompson; and a granddaughter, Angie Melchert.

Surviving are three sons, Bob Thompson (Debbie) and Joe Thompson (Rhonda) of Fairbanks, IN and Walter Thompson of Linton, IN;  two daughters, Sue Hall (Lewis) of Sullivan, IN and Linda Harper (Brad) of Robinson, IL; eight grandchildren, Lori Pohlman (Brian), Cheri Nedlose  (Rodney), Travis Thompson (Bonnie), Jessy Southwood (Travis), Andy Hall (Beth), Brook Arnett (Larry), Linde Kinney (Scott), Mary Knight (Shannon); a grandson-in -law Carl Melchert;  20 great grandchildren and 14 great great grandchildren.

The memorial service will be at Kingsley United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 4th, at 11:00 AM.

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