Obituary: Laura Lee Thompson

Laura Lee Thompson left us to be with Jesus on November 3, 2022. I am her husband of 64 years and I would like to tell you about this wonderful woman.

Laura Kalinko was born on March 16, 1939 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Laura attended school in Kenosha and graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School. She married George E. Thompson III on November 22, 1958. In the ensuing years she performed assembly work at Warwick Mfg. Co. in Zion, Illinois; Redfield Gunsight Co. in Denver, Colorado and at the Litton Co. in the Los Angeles area. In 1992 she retired from Reference Laboratories where she processed specimens for testing to move to Prescott, Arizona.

Throughout her life, Laura loved and cared for animals. Two of her canine friends whom she trained won AKC National Obedience titles at Lompoc and Santa Barbara, California. She raised peacocks in Thousand Oaks, California and acquired her first horse in Thousand Oaks. She took riding lessons and progressed to training other riders and boarding horses. She then persuaded other family members to become involved with riding. For 30 years her greatest pleasure was to get on her horse and ride a trail. Laura was also interested in arts and crafts. Her crafted gourds and photographs were awarded prizes at the Yavapai County Fair. She had photographs published in “Birds and Blooms”. She was an avid gardener with an unbelievably green thumb.

Laura had a full and rewarding life, and after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, she went to the arms of her beloved Jesus.

She is survived by her husband George E. Thompson III, her son George E. Thompson IV, her grandson George E Thompson V and a twin sister Geri Slazes of Ocala, Florida.

In Laura’s honor, a Memorial Service will be held at the Prescott National Cemetery, 500 AZ-89, Prescott, AZ 86301 on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.

Information provided by the family.