Alton Charles Thompson, age 85, died peacefully and in the care of his family on June 16, 2025 in Kimberly, Wisconsin.
He was born on January 6, 1940 in Wautoma, Wisconsin, the son of the late Inez Genevieve (Hasselquist) Thompson and Marvin Clifford Thompson. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda L. (Jones) Thompson. He was the father of Andrew C. Thompson and his wife Jennifer K. (Laehn) Thompson of Kimberly; Rebecca L. T. Cho and her husband Sunmin Cho of Wayland, Massachusetts, and Sarah N. Thompson of West Allis. Grandfather of Julia Thompson and Michael Thompson of Kimberly; and Evelyn Cho, Karina Cho, and Sean Cho of Wayland, MA. Brother of Greta Aberg, Marlo Thompson, Lynn Thompson, and Philip Thompson. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Al grew up in Mt. Morris and attended elementary school in one room school houses, including the Waushara County Normal School. He graduated as valedictorian from Wautoma High School in 1957. He then attended the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where he earned a B.A. in History, with minors in English and Geology. He went on to earn an M.S. in Geography from the University of North Carolina, and a Ph.D. in Urban Economic Geography from the University of Cincinnati (UNC). Al taught Geography at Salisbury State College in Maryland from 1965-67. He met his wife, Linda, while studying at UNC, and they were married in Salisbury before moving to Ohio.
After teaching for several years at Miami University in Oxford, OH, Al moved back to Wisconsin with Linda and their son, Andrew. He worked at Astronautics Corporation of America in Milwaukee for 27 years before retiring. Al lived in Greendale for 48 years prior to moving to Kimberly in 2025.
He had a strong passion for researching, reading, and writing, especially on the topics of religion, the environment, and global warming, which he cared about deeply. He loved exploring his Norwegian and Swedish roots, spending hours studying his family’s genealogy. Over the years, he was part of both Presbyterian and United Methodist churches. He had an appreciation for classical music, which he enjoyed listening to, and he played both the trumpet and French horn. At home, he loved spending time with his family. He would make Swedish pancakes on Saturday mornings and go on lots of bike rides and camping trips with his wife and children. He brought a mix of thoughtfulness, curiosity, and care to everyday life, and those around him felt it.
Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., with a Celebration of Life to follow at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, August 22, 2025, at Valley Funeral Home, 2211 N. Richmond St., Appleton, WI 54911. For online condolences, please visit www.valleyfh.com.
