Everett Jean Thompson

Obit Everett “Jean” Thompson-88

Kroll Funeral Home-Hebron, NE

402-768-6165

Everett ‘Jean’ Thompson died December 22, 2021 at Wisner Care Center in Wisner, Nebraska with family by his side. He was 88 years of age.

Jean was a good man. He loved his family, and he loved his friends, and he would do anything for them within his power if he saw a need. He started his story in Chester, Nebraska and ended his life telling stories at the Wisner Care Center.

Out of Chester high school, he entered the Navy during the Korean War and served four years on the USS Kidd, in which he took high pride being part of that. He loved to tell his stories about his extensive and interesting history on that ship to everyone.

Ending his Navy experience in San Diego CA, he met and married Helen Kimball to which two children were born into the world—a daughter Yvonne and a son Timothy. He started his civilian work experience with Boston Gearworks, then became a milkman with a dairy in Northern California, driving a milk truck and becoming a salesman. Shortly thereafter he took a job at Berkeley Farms dairy doing the same. He loved selling milk and telling his stories to the people who bought his products in the Berkeley area. After his time at Berkeley Farms, he became a bus driver for AC transit where he met so many new friends and had so many new stories to tell.

Despite his success in California, he still loved the Midwest. In the early 70s, Jean and his family moved to Belleville, Kansas before settling in Chester, Nebraska to help his parents and to start a new life.

He worked for the Village of Chester, Thayer County, and eventually he started his own business, Thompson Construction. 

He and Helen moved to Hastings, Nebraska where he worked for Thermo-King and other short term jobs, but the call of Chester was too strong and they moved back. He finished out his working life content with Thompson Construction. He loved building, and he was good at it. He had an excellent work ethic which he passed down to his kids. He loved to brag that he never had a job that lasted over five years before he became his own contractor. Those other jobs served as steppingstones until he could get back to what he truly loved to do.

He also loved coffee and good food. He liked baking and cooking with Helen, making cheese, and other things that his children took for granted. After the death of Helen he met many other new friends, and he became very close with Carol Jackson who continued to be a dear friend until his death.

His story ended when he could no longer tell the stories, but it will always be retold and remembered by his family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents Fred and Flora Thompson of Chester, two brothers, Blaine of Sydney, Nebraska, and Bill of Belleville, Kansas, one sister Lois of Laramie, Wyoming, and his wife Helen.

Everett “Jean” Thompson is survived by one daughter, Yvonne Wilhelms and her husband Bruce of Sibley, Iowa, and one son, Timothy Thompson and his wife Amy of Quartz Hill, California, six grandchildren—three children to Yvonne and Bruce (Kelly Wilhelms of Chandler AZ, Holly Olsen(Keith) of Canton South Dakota and Joey Wilhelms of Sheldon Iowa), and three children to Timothy and Amy Thompson (Grace Plant of Missoula, Montana, and Henry Thompson and Aiden Thompson who still live with their parents). Jean also has six great grandsons.

He will be missed by all.

Following Jean’s wishes he was cremated and a memorial service will be held Friday, December 31, 2021 at St. John Lutheran Church in Chester, NE at 10:30AM. Officiant will be Pastor Robert Hopkins, organist Carol Wassom, congregational hymns “I Love To Tell The Story”, “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art”. Memorials in care of the family in lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Yvonne Wilhelms- 828 9th Avenue Sibley, IA 51249. Condolences may be left at www.krollfh.com. Inurnment will be in the Chester Cemetery. Service conducted by Kroll Funeral Home Hebron, NE.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Everett Jean Thompson, please visit our floral store.