THOMPSON 90th

Elsie Jane Gross was born Sept. 30, 1928, at Monterey Park, Calif. She grew up in San Gabriel, Calif.

Elsie graduated from La Sierra Academy in California in the spring of 1945. While at La Sierra Academy a teacher introduced Elsie to Jesus; she met and fell in love with Him passionately.

After her high school graduation, Elsie attended Walla Walla College at College Place, Wash., where she was known as "Ellie." She met Robert Tennyson Thompson in October 1946; they wed on Christmas Day of that year.

Robert and Elsie farmed during their first year of marriage. Then they moved to Loma Linda, Calif., where Robert milked cows for five years. Their first two daughters, Tenny and Sandee were born while living at Loma Linda. Four more daughters and one son were born when they returned to Vale, Ore. These seven children include: Tenny Garner, of Troutdale, Ore., a teacher at Orange Wood Academy for 10 years; Sandee Fuller of Carlsbad, Calif., registered nurse; Roberta Blankenship of Troutdale, a nurse for 40 years; Christine Ludwig of Battle Ground, Wash., retired professor from Washington State University in Vancouver, Wash.; Rudolph K. Thompson of Princeton, Ore., with 30 horses and large acreage; Cora Lee Thompson of Oracle, Ariz., a doctor; and Rose Thompson of St. George, Utah, a beautician.

Tenny, Roberta and Christine are graduates of Walla Walla College, which is now Walla Walla University.

The Thompson family left Loma Linda to farm in Vale, Ore., in 1952. They also lived in Payette, Idaho, where Robert had a bakery delivery service for six years. He became a literature evangelist in 1965. While living in Payette, Halloween was acknowledged by their family as a “treat instead of a trick" — they gave out literature while asking for an offering for Jesus.

After being wed 25 years, both Robert and Elsie returned to their education by attending Boise State University. Robert received a degree in horticulture, while Elsie received a degree in nursing.

Robert and Elsie farmed on yet another farm in Plymouth, Idaho. Robert milked 45 cows morning and evenings while Elsie milked 40 goats. They fed their calves with goat’s milk. They retired from farming to Kimberly, Idaho.

Robert, Elsie’s loving husband, passed away in 2008. In 2009, Elsie moved to the Village Retirement Center in Gresham, Ore., where she has resided happily for 10 years.

All seven of Elsie’s children gathered for her 90th birthday. The family filled two pews for church on Sept. 29, 2018. The family invited everyone for ice cream and cake right after Sabbath lunch.