Marie Irene Thompson

Marie Irene Thompson passed away quietly after a short battle with cancer on January 29, 2014 at Elim Nursing Home in Fargo, ND. A memorial service will be held at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo, at 10:00am on Tuesday, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Fargo, ND.

Marie was born on May 8, 1934 to Reinhold B. and Hazel E. Greuel. She grew up on a farm near Woods, ND between Davenport and Leonard. She loved farm life and growing up on the farm. Marie worked with her mother in her mother’s many flower beds around the farm, from the time she was a child till she left home. She loved riding a pony the family had. She also raised a lamb that was given to her by an uncle. It was her pet; she was broken hearted when it went to market.

Marie attended elementary school in Woods, and graduated from Leonard High School. She furthered her education at Dakota Business College in Fargo and worked for WW Wallwork in Fargo after graduation. She attended an office managerial school in Long Beach, CA specifically for Lincoln Mercury dealerships and was assigned to manage a Lincoln dealership in Houston, TX. Marie graduated high school with her future husband, Rodney and they dated frequently. Rodney was in the Army while she was in Texas and California. When he finished his tour in the Army, they decided it was time to return to North Dakota, get married and settle down. They were married on November 28, 1958. In 1962 they purchased a home in West Fargo where they still live.

For a period of time after they were married, Marie worked for the Coleman Furniture Company in Fargo, ND. Later on in her life she worked for the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department. She spoke many times about her relationship with the Coleman family and all her friends at the DMV. She also enjoyed her relationships with her many neighbors on Elm Street in West Fargo over her 40 years there.

Marie loved to sew and loved working in her yard. When her parents moved off the farm to Davenport, she helped with Hazel’s large flower beds. She used her mother’s knowledge in caring for her own yard for almost 40 years. Another highlight of her life was farming with Rodney in the late 1970’s. She helped to farm her parent’s land and Rodney’s parent’s land. She enjoyed working with the soil and they farmed together until 1995. She enjoyed running her Case tractor alongside Rodney.

Marie is survived by her husband, Rodney; one daughter, Rhonda and her children, Alex, Christopher, and Matthew, Fargo, ND; one son, Mark (Laurie) and their children, Sarah, Benjamin, and Michael, Mandan, ND; two nephews, Roland and Dean; and one niece, Jane.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Roger.