Ronald John Thompson was born on August 16, 1943 in Shellbrook, Saskatchewan to Harry and Mary (Earl) Thompson.  He passed away peacefully on September 5, 2023 in the Melfort Hospital following a lengthy battle with lung cancer.

Ron will be forever loved and remembered by his wife of 60 years, Gloria (Smith) Thompson, his high school sweetheart, married on October 8, 1962 in Ottawa, Ontario; his children: son Ron Jr (Sandy) Thompson and grandchildren: Brett and Martina; daughter Lisa (Derek) Richardson and grandchildren: Connor and Blake; younger brother Dale Thompson and nieces: Tracy and Shannon and great nephew Jonny Thompson along with numerous cousins and friends met along his life journey.

Ron had a great love of the Canadian Military starting with visits with his Uncle Gerald Thompson and talking about his time in WWII.  Ron joined the Air Cadets and then the Army Reserve in Melfort and on to signing up with the Royal Canadian Navy in Saskatoon.  Basic training in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia was followed by numerous Canadian postings and a 2 year post in Bermuda.  His military career was followed with 1 year of Computer Studies at Seneca College in Toronto, leading to 4 years employment with the RCMP, setting up the Canada-wide CPIC Information Centres in Winnipeg and Regina.  In 1976 he and a friend started Sunset Fireplaces in Saskatoon.  They had a great business for 13 years until the market changed.  Ron then moved on to selling real estate for 11 years with ReMax and Gustus Group.

He enjoyed being a member of the Antique Car Club in Saskatoon, restoring his Thunderbird, the “63 BIRD”.  He also enjoyed travelling on holidays to Hawaii, California, Mexico and a return trip to Bermuda.

Retirement found Ron and Gloria moving back to Melfort, where he had lived for 10 years while getting his Grades 2 – 12 education.  He enjoyed connecting with old friends and making new ones over the next 16 years.

Ron really enjoyed being a Snowbird and driving his truck and 5^th Wheel to Yuma in the winters and then to Ontario in the summers visiting Lisa, Derek and the boys.

Retirement gave Ron more time to work on his genealogy, starting with researching his grandfather John Thompson’s 12 siblings from a family picture that his father gave him with all their names on the back.  His grandfather and family had moved to Saskatoon from Orangeville, Ontario in early 1900.

Ron was extremely proud of his 4 grandchildren and loved hearing about all their accomplishments and visiting with them in Saskatoon and Trenton.

Ron was predeceased by his parents Harry and Mary Thompson; his parents-in-law Derrick and Ann Smith, as well as his sister-in-law Shirley (Smith) Lanctot.

A Private Family Service will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made in Ron’s name directly to the Cancer Research Society (625 President-Kennedy Avenue, Suite 402  Montreal QC  H3A 3S5) or info@src-crs.ca.

Those wishing to leave condolences for the family may visit the online guestbook at www.fedusiakfuneralchapel.com.

Arrangements entrusted to Fedusiak Funeral Chapel & Crematorium Ltd., Melfort, SK  (306)752-3838.

• Date : 2023-09-05
• Location : Melfort, SK