Lorene Thompson

Lorene Eleanor Sage Thompson, 86, died Dec. 14, at The Gables in Shelley.

She was born June 6, 1925 in Caldwell, Idaho to George and Minnie Bell Stoehr McCloud, the youngest of five children. Because of family difficulties, Lorene was adopted at age five by Jesse and Lillian Sage of Shelley. Her earliest memory was being met at the Shelley train depot by her father who was holding a bag of candy.

She grew up in Shelley, spending a period of time in Wapello, during which she started school. Her father farmed and was a small business owner. She graduated from Shelley High School in 1943. As a child, she attended the Shelley Community Church, joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teenager.

On October 27, 1943, she married her high school sweetheart, Allan Heber Thompson, in the Salt Lake City Temple. They spent their first weeks as husband and wife living in a sheep camp near Castle Rock, east of Idaho Falls.

The couple made their home in the Jameston area, where they were engaged in the livestock business, raising sheep and later, cattle. Lorene was a dedicated stay-at-home mother and grandmother. She was known as a wonderful cook and baker, making pies for Sunday family gatherings for decades. She will be remembered for her tradition of making breakfast for her whole family on Christmas morning.

Her hobbies included gardening, sewing and needlework. She was active in the Woolgrowers and Cattle Association’s auxiliaries, serving as a director of the “Make-It-Yourself with Wool Contest” for several years. She also volunteered as a Pink Lady.

She served in the Primary, Young Women and Relief Society organizations. She was a dedicated visiting teacher and most enjoyed being the ward and stake sports director.

At age 42 she met her biological siblings, who searched for and found her.

She lovingly cared for her husband, who suffered with Parkinson’s disease, for a decade until his passing in 1991.

She spent the last two years as a resident of The Gables of Shelley, where she received kind and gentle care. She remained cheerful and sweet until the end of her life. Everyday she told the aids and visitors how beautiful they were and sang or hummed a happy tune.

She was preceded in death by her husband, a daughter, Sharon (Robert) Sollis, her parents, three sisters Hazel Miller, Susie Lewis and Lucille Strain, one brother Bill McCloud, one half-brother Harold Cox, and two great-grandsons, Cole and Ryker Snarr.

She is survived by two daughters, Joyce (Ken) Balmforth of Idaho Falls and Marianne (Kreg) Snarr of Rigby, her son Ted (Shirley) Thompson of Shelley, a half-brother Earl Cox of Lewiston, 16 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Monday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. at the Jameston Ward building. A viewing will be held Sunday from 6-7:30 p.m. at Nalder Funeral Home in Shelley and at the church Monday from 9:30-10:40 a.m.  Burial will be in the Taylor Cemetery.