1925 ~ THOMPSON ~ 2015

George Adelbert THOMPSON passed away on December 27th, 2015 at the age of 90 years. Predeceased by his wife of 64 years, he said shortly before his passing that he thought he would go see how beautiful Fern is. He was so looking forward to seeing her again. Of all the many variations of his names that he was known by, he said that Bert was his favourite, because that was what Fern called him.

Bert left this life in celebratory style. He loved a good party and he was so pleased to be able to celebrate his 90th birthday on October 2nd with so many of his family and friends. Although admitted to hospital a week before his passing, he was able to get some time off for good behaviour and attended a family Christmas Eve gathering with many of us. He was one big smile from ear to ear and he took time to express his love to all of us. He was able to visit with family right up until and throughout the day before he died and he amazed us with his energy and love and care and concern for all of his family.

Family was everything to Bert. He loved to regale everyone he met with the sheer enormity of his posterity. He is survived by his seven children and their spouses – Bob (Ruth), Allan (Carol), Connie (Jack Guenther), Nancy (Eric Nielsen), Jerry (Jeannette), Jeff (Janine) and Jayne (Allen Hale). He had 31 grandchildren (22 with spouses); and 52 great- grandchildren, with more on the way. He told us all that he had the best family ever, and he believed it. His parents, Joseph and Mary, and his siblings, Lucille, Eveylin and Donald, had gone on ahead of him, and he is survived by his sisters, Alene and Marie; and brother, John.

Bert loved to sing. He was a barbershopper for over 30 years. He was always whistling or humming or singing a little tune, right up until the end. Of all the old songs he knew, we are sure that he knew the one that goes: “accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative”, because that is the way he lived his life. We will always remember him and love him for his gentle and kind nature and his happy, eternally optimistic outlook on life. His vocabulary consisted of words like wonderful, fantastic, and our favourite: “Wow!”. He loved life and he loved people.

Bert loved to swim. This was his daily exercise for many years. He started to slow down a bit, but he was still swimming the week before he went into the hospital. His barbershop buddies and his swimming pals became some of his closest friends.

Bert loved to dance. That is how he met Fern. We are all hoping that they have a good dance band in heaven, because then it really will be heaven for them.

Bert loved to tell stories about his childhood and his time in the Army and of all of his adventures through the years. His stories sometimes became larger than life, but as he often said with a twinkle in his eye: “Why ruin a perfectly good story by embellishing it with too much truth?”

Bert’s heart was enlarged before he died. We don’t think his heart could have been any bigger. He loved his family so much and we loved him in return. With such a big family, his heart needed to be big enough to love all of us. When drifting off shortly before his passing, he was asked what he was dreaming about. With a smile on his face, his one word answer said it all: LOVE.

We can only imagine that Bert is looking forward to one more party with all of his family and friends as we join together to pay our final tribute to him later this week. Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, 7 Sierra Boulevard SW, on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. The Funeral Service will be held at the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS on Saturday, January 2nd, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. with Bishop Jordan Mulholland conducting. Memorial gifts in Bert’s memory may be made to the Palliative Care Unit, c/o Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation, 666 – 5th Street SW, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 4H6. Condolences may be sent through www.saamis.com or to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Bert Thompson. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to

SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park”, locally owned and directed. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone (403)528-2599