Irma L. Thompson, 91, of Manistee, died Monday, June 29, 2020 at Green Acres Assisted Living Facility in Manistee. Irma was born on September 22, 1928 in Onekama, MI, the daughter of Daniel Charles and Anna Marie (Beyers) Brown. She attended school in Onekama, graduating from Onekama High School in 1946. She married Dean Stewart Thompson on October 14, 1950 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Manistee. They shared over 66 years of marriage together until Dean's passing on February 22, 2017.

Prior to her marriage, she worked as a hostess at the Glenwood and at Portage Point Inn in Onekama, MI. After she married, she helped Dean with his business, Thompson's Men Store. She kept an immaculate home and enjoyed entertaining family and friends. In their younger years, she helped her children, Diane and Alan, with various crafts for school, Brownies/Girl Scouts, and Cub Scouts. She served as a Brownie Leader and a Den Mother. She was always willing to lend them a hand after they were grown. When Alan married Teresa, Irma welcomed her as a daughter, not just a daughter-in-law. Irma was a proud and devoted Grandmother, who very much enjoyed spending time with her grandsons, Matthew and Ethan. While they were young, she let them help in the kitchen and taught them how to bake cookies, showed them how to sew while working on her quilts, and they raised pumpkins together in her garden. She always looked forward to their visits after they grew older and were away from home and always encouraged them to do their best. When Matthew met Sarah, Irma welcomed Sarah into her home and her kitchen as her granddaughter and showed Sarah how to make "meat" (mincemeat) cookies.

She was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Manistee where she served for many years as an altar guild member, an usher and performed various other tasks. Irma was a huge fan of the Good Shepherd Choir and always made an effort to let them know how much she enjoyed their music. She was also very good at crafting. She made Chrismon's for the Christmas tree and some banners that hung in the church. She knit several sweaters for herself and taught others to knit and crochet, she also enjoyed counted cross stitch. There wasn't anything she couldn't do. Irma was a talented seamstress, quilter, gardener, bowler, and so much more. She spent the last few years knitting mittens for the children of Manistee.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Teresa Thompson, of Manistee, and her grandsons Matthew Thompson (Sarah Steinke) and Ethan Thompson of Rockford, MI. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law Albert and Karla Brown of Onekama, sister-in-law Martha Brown of Manistee, brother-in-law Jay Thompson of Clayton, California and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dean, her daughter, Diane K. Thompson, brothers Donald, Fred, and Hank Brown, sisters Vada Olson and Alice Tessman, sisters-in-law Minnie Brown, Gloria Brown, Marilyn Thompson and Ann Kimball, and brother-in-law Tom Olson.

The family suggests that those wishing to remember Irma do so with a gift to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Choir or Altar Guild, 521 Cypress St, Manistee, MI 49660.

Cremation has taken place. Due to the situation with Coronavirus, a private family service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Manistee.

The Herbert Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements.