Lenora Thompson, 90

Wells – Lenora (Petersen) Thompson, 90, a long-time resident of the Northfield area, passed surrounded by family on July 22, 2023, in Wells, at The Shepherd’s Inn Assisted Living where she spent the final year of her life receiving exceptional care.

Lenora was born in the beautiful Cache Valley of northern Utah and grew up on a cattle and dairy farm doing all the chores a farm girl must do to help keep the operation running. She helped her mother with a big garden and with tending the chickens as well. Many people complain of having had to walk miles to school in the snow, uphill both ways, but Lenora delighted in going to school in the winter when she could ice skate two miles each way on the connecting waterway. Once out of school, Lenora headed for the big city (San Francisco) to pursue her dream of being a singer and model. While that dream was not realized, music and singing always remained a central part of her life.

Lenora went back to Utah where she met and married Warren Thompson, with whom she had six children before they divorced in the 1990s. Warren was from Minnesota and it was primarily here that they raised their brood. They ran a restaurant together in their early marriage in Sandy, Utah, then ran a restaurant together in their later marriage in Nerstrand. Once that was done, Lenora lived and worked in Northfield at the Laura Baker School until her retirement at age 75. She cooked and catered for the multiple entities served by the school. Lenora loved cooking for others and was very good at it, but loathed cooking for herself so survived for many years on microwaveable entrees, bagged salads and Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

When she became unable to live independently, Lenora moved to Wells, to the Shepherd’s Inn Assisted Living and truly enjoyed the care provided by the staff who treated her like a queen in her final days. Ice cream was always available.

Lenora is survived by her children, Roanna (Randy) Vine, Kevin (Dennie) Thompson, Kaylene Marks, Steve (Gerise) Thompson, Troy (Heather Tilghman) Thompson, Melanie (Craig Erpestad) Thompson, and by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her entire family being the youngest of 11 and the last to pass. Lenora was fiercely independent, witty and loving and will be sorely missed by her family.

A Celebration of Life was held 12 p.m. on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at Mahn Family Funeral Home – Rochester Chapel. Visitation began at 11:30 a.m. until the start of the service. More information please see www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Lenora-Thompson. Memorials preferred to The Shepherd’s Inn Assisted Living in Wells.