Marvin Thompson

Marvin Eugene Thompson, 73, a lifetime Brady farmer, passed away peacefully of natural causes the morning of Sunday October 19 at Benefis Hospital with family at his side. His funeral is 2 p.m. Friday at Brady Methodist Church, with burial at Hillside Cemetery in Conrad. A dinner will be held at Brady Community Hall after the burial.

Marvin was born July 23, 1941 to Homer Thompson and Edna Gemar in Great Falls, MT. He grew up on his family farm just south of Brady where his passion for farming began at an early age. Oiling his roads while playing with his toy farm equipment was a typical childhood activity and if he wasn't riding with his dad in some piece of equipment, he was being pulled behind the tractor and drills in a cub cadet car while his dad worked the land.

Marvin graduated from Brady High School in 1959. He did very well in school, enjoyed being involved with band, the school plays and basketball. He later attended Vo-Tech for training in mechanics.

On March 13, 1982 Marvin married his wife, Shari. They lived on the family farm where they raised their daughter Susan, whom Marvin later adopted.

Marvin loved his farm; it was his whole world. He loved being able to design, build, modify and grow. If he could think it, he could build it and if it was already built he would modify it to make it better. Marvin loved driving tractor. His old 8020 John Deere was a prized possession. He loved spending time in his shop. At all hours you could hear all sorts of tools in motion and, without doubt, his music echoing through the shop walls across the farm. Marvin was very proud of the wood stove he recently built for his shop for its blowers, automatic cleaning auger and many other gadgets it has even including a slide out rack to dry wet gloves. His intelligence, creativity, skills and abilities were phenomenal.

Marvin enjoyed his animals, especially the large hog operation he had. He liked listening to and watching sports of all kinds. He loved classical music. Marvin played the piano. He had a great time as a young man building and racing his drag racing cars. Marvin was fascinated with trains. He loved campfires, snowmobiling, fishing, boating, sharing stories, but more than anything he loved learning. Marvin would read anything that had writing on it. He would watch TV shows and listen to radio shows to learn what he could do different. Marvin enjoyed going to the Mountain View in Brady to visit with the "boys". He found great enjoyment going around visiting his neighbors and when they would stop by his shop to visit him. He loved going to auctions. Marvin relished talking with people and remembered everyone from across the states. Marvin knew no stranger.

Marvin loved to travel and he and Shari traveled frequently over the years. The travels they shared were not measured by distances or destinations but the many adventures that occurred in between getting where they were going. They traveled on Thompson time; the hour was irrelevant. It was not uncommon to see them driving off the farm at late hour in the bitter cold of winter, pulling 70 feet of trailers with their pickup, heading south for the winter to their home in Arizona.

Marvin's deep interest in design and development exploded from the result of purchasing their Arizona home. He established a forest of plants, trees and shrubbery and implemented a hand-crafted watering system. He erected fences personalized by materials from his farm. It was a place of his and his wife's that they shaped together; a place of their own; a place he treasured.

Marvin was a member of Pork Producers and Wool Growers Association. He was a proud member of Montana Farmers Union and as a young man was selected to attend the Encampment for Citizenship, the highest award given for junior work in Farmers Union.

Marvin was preceded in death by his parents and one sister. He is survived by his wife Shari; daughter Susan Thompson of Brady; step-son Allan Sherry of Peoria, AZ and many admired extended family members.

The family wishes to express their immense esteem and gratitude for the extremely skilled and compassionate care Marvin received from the ICU hospital staff at Benefis. A special thank you is given to the crew of Mercy Flight. Great appreciation is given to Carl Suta of the Pondera County Sheriff's Department, Conrad Emergency Medical Services staff and the hospital staff at the Pondera Medical Center. The family also wishes to thank all of the friends for their support, visits and prayers.

Marvin's hands were indescribably amazing; his blue eyes beautiful; his grin charming; his belly laugh contagious. He found pleasure in everything. Marvin saw the good in all. He was patient, gentle and kind; a loving, giving husband, dad and friend. Marvin touched the lives of many people over the years and he will forever be in our hearts.

Memorials are suggested to the Brady Methodist Church, Brady Community Hall or the donor's choice.