Ervin Thompson

Ervin Thompson, age 91, of Ortonville, MN, died on November 25, 2019, at his home at Fairway View Catered Living Apartments.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 2, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ortonville, MN. Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 1, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 6:00 at the church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Monday. Pastor Dennis O’Neill will officiate, and burial will be at Mound Cemetery.

Ervin Elmer Thompson was born on March 22, 1928, in Ortonville, MN, to Elmer and Annie (Homblad) Thompson. He was baptized as an infant, then confirmed as a member of Eidskog Lutheran Church in Otrey Township on August 3, 1941. Ervin had a perfect Sunday School attendance record and received "The Roll of Honors". He was raised on the family farm and attended District #9 school until eighth grade. Ervin graduated from Ortonville High School with the Class of 1946. He was an active student in high school: participating in football, track, and as a Star Farmer in FFA.

Ervin, as a young man, loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter. On October 19, 1948, he was out hunting and when he came home and while he was unloading his gun, it accidentally went off, striking his left palm. The doctors said they could not save his left hand, so they amputated it that night. Ervin never gave up, as he went back out hunting that fall and he always found a way to do things. He had a lot of faith and did a lot of praying so he could find a way to complete a task using his own technique.

On March 12, 1950, Ervin was united in marriage to Arlys Jane Konstant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD. The couple made their home on a family farm near Ortonville and to this union, four children were born: Ron, Marilyn, Bill, and Lori.

Ervin purchased the Otrey Country Store in 1953 and sponsored an all-farm-boy softball team. After five years, he went back to general farming practices: producing grain, dairy cow herd, hogs, and beef. Between farming and running the store, Ervin worked for the ASCS office: measuring fields for farmers and sealed grain for a good portion of Big Stone County farms. He was also an assessor for Otrey and Artichoke townships.

In 1957, the family joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Ortonville. Ervin was an active member in the church and served as an Elder, on The Board of Education, Evangelism, Stewardship, and taught Sunday School. He also belonged to the Lutheran Laymen League, Men’s Club, and Couples Club. Ervin served as the vice president of AAL, on a church bowling league for 30 years, and was also active in the Altar Guild.

Ervin's hobbies were hunting, fishing, camping, and he enjoyed traveling. Ervin and Arlys had been going to Arizona for the last 20 years and while they were vacationing there, Ervin decided to take up golfing as a hobby.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of almost 70 years, Arlys; his children: Ron (Marlyce) Thompson, Marilyn (Arden) Kraft, Bill (Linda) Thompson, and Lori (Mike) Martinek; nine grandchildren: Matthew (Jess) Thompson, Elizabeth Fischer, James (Nicole) Thompson, Aleisha Kraft, Lindsay (Mitch) Olson, Jamie (Matt) Mattson, Eric (Katie) Thompson, Jeremy (Andria) Krakow, and Andy Martinek; 16 great-grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews.

Ervin was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Annie Thompson; brothers: Clifford and Robert; sisters: Annetta, Adelia, Florence, and Alice; along with two nieces and three nephews.