Rev. Lester R. Thompson

Rev. Lester R. Thompson, age 89, passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2009, at his residence. Lester was born in Tipperary, Iowa, on October 10, 1919, the son of Ray and Doris Thompson. The family later moved to Knoxville, Iowa, where he grew up.

In May of 1940, he graduated from the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota. In September of that year, he married the former Lucille Ray in Columbus, Ohio.

He was ordained to the ministry in November of 1941, by the late Rev. W. T. Witherspoon in Columbus, Ohio. He later became the Assistant Pastor to Rev. Witherspoon.

In 1948 he moved his family to Wisconsin, where he pastored in Clintonville and Eau Claire. In 1950 he was selected to be the Editor-in-Chief of the Pentecostal Herald, the official magazine of the United Pentecostal Church International, where he served until 1950 when he again moved his family to Wisconsin – this time to Racine, where he pastored at the former Bethel Tabernacle. He later pastored in Bloomington, Indiana, but again returned to Wisconsin, this time to be the founding pastor of the Apostolic Faith Church in Sturtevant (now of Racine).

He was a well-known Bible teacher, and, as such, taught in many parts of the country. Lester Thompson was a gentle, kind-hearted man – a Gentleman. Earth and the ministry has lost a true soldier.

Lester leaves a loving family, of which he was very proud: his wife of nearly 69 years, Lucille; four sons, Gary (Linda), Ronald, Richard (Sharon), Stephen (Sharon); and one daughter, Sheryl (Steve) Wasmundt; ten dear grandchildren, Celeste DeHahn, Ted Thompson, Cindy (Andre) Maki, Renee Carroll, Dulcie Albright, Scott (Melissa) Thompson, Sonya (Philip) Rose, Chad (Lisa) Wasmundt, Holly Wasmundt and Stephanie Wasmundt; 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Elsie Thompson. Preceding him in death were his parents; his brother, Robert; his sister, Wanda VanCleve; his grandson, Seth Thompson; and his great-granddaughter, Madison Rose.

Funeral services will be held at Parkway Apostolic Church, 10940 S. Nicholson Road, Oak Creek, WI, on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. Private interment will be held at West Lawn Memorial Park on Monday. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the funeral home on Friday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and at the church in Oak Creek Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of service.

We wish to thank Vitas Hospice Care for all the wonderful people who cared for our loved one.

MARESH-MEREDITH & ACKLAM FUNERAL HOME
803 Main St., Racine (262) 634-7888