Obituary-Stanley Gene Thompson

 

Obituary

Stanley Gene Thompson Jr, age 67, stepped into Eternity on August 29, 2023 after one last summer of laughter and love at home with his family. He was born September 21,1955 in Montpelier, ID to Stanley Gene Sr and Norene Murdock Thompson, the oldest of 4 children. Stan grew up on the Thompson Land & Livestock Ranch, 3 miles south of Cokeville, WY where he learned to work hard.

He graduated from Cokeville High School in 1974 and then went on to study and graduate from Denver Automotive and Diesel College in 1975. He came back to Cokeville to fulfill his dream of working on the ranch and then marrying his high school sweetheart Betty Jo Buckley on September 18, 1976. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan LDS Temple June 5, 1996. Together they welcomed 6 children: Michael (Angela) Thompson of Cokeville, Wy; Meaghan (Bryon) Stinson of Laramie, Wy; Stanley James ‘Jim’ (Amy) Thompson of Lyman, Wy; Zane Thompson of Cokeville, Wy; Marlena (Jeremiah) Johnson of Green River, Wy; Michaela (Sean) Neth of Midvale, Ut.

For years Stan participated in bowling, softball, baseball and basketball leagues around the Bear River valley. He excitedly took on the role of ‘Coach’ as the Defensive Line Coordinator for the Rich High School Rebels in Randolph, UT in 1990, where he coached for 25 years alongside and among some of his very best friends. He also coached at Bear Lake High School for 5 years.

Stan took his civic duties seriously and was currently serving as Cokeville Mayor, a position he already filled for 8 years 2 decades ago. He also has served on the City Council for 12 years, Lincoln County Predator Board, and Planning and Zoning Committee. He was awarded the Cokeville Citizen of the Year in 2004 and for ‘20 Years of Service’ to the Town of Cokeville. He also actively helped the Lincoln County Search & Rescue for most of his life. His favorite church callings were Cub Scout Leader, Master and Primary Teacher. For years you could find him and the best group of men cooking all night long in the church parking lot for the 24th of July Celebration. And a couple of those years he could be spotted the next afternoon with his Wild Cow Milkin’ partner Jon Child winning buckles at the rodeo.

Stan never walked into an event or town where he didn’t run into someone he knew. He was a friend to everyone he met. He donated and sponsored to every good cause and would not be out-auctioned when a chocolate roll was up for grabs. 

Stan fought valiantly against cancer and after receiving a grim diagnosis, he defied the odds and lived many years past the doctor’s time frame. He never let cancer get him down as he continued to contract hay every summer as Stan Thompson Haying. He enjoyed chasing around his 10 grandkids whether it was on the mat, court, field, show ring, or even throwing rocks in the river. Anyone that knew him will never deny that Stan was loyal to the Wyoming Cowboys to the very end. Go Pokes!

Funeral Services will be held Saturday September 2, 2023, at the Cokeville Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, at 11:00 a.m. with an interment to follow at the Cokeville Cemetery. A viewing was held the night before Friday September 1, 2023 at 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Cokeville LDS church, along with another viewing prior to the service from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m..