Ralph O. Thompson

Ralph Orville Thompson was born on January 14, 1928 in Pound, Wisconsin, to Delbert Valentine and Ila Ray (King) Thompson, and died on December 9, 2016 in New Braunfels, Texas. He graduated from North Division High School in Milwaukee Wisconsin in 1946 where he met his future sweetheart and wife Dorothy Elaine Glienke. Married in May of 1949, “Orv and Dottie” as they are known to Wisconsin friends and family, became lifetime partners celebrating 67 years of marriage last May. They were parents to five boys, his “troops” as he called them; Mike, David, Jeff, Tommy and Dan.

Ralph served in the U.S. Army from 1946 until 1968, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant with overseas tours in Japan, Korea, and Germany twice. During his military service, Ralph was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (3), Medal of Good Conduct, Army Commendation Medal, Distinguished Pistol Shot Medal and was a 3-time winner of the President’s Hundred Tab awarded to the 100 top scoring shooters in the President’s Rifle and Pistol Matches.

Ralph was a world-class marksman who competed in the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg Canada and was a member of the US Army Team competing at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico. He was also a firing member of the US Army Team competing at the 1968 Conseil Du Sports Militaire International Championships in Fountainbleau, France where he won both the Rapid Fire and Full Bore Pistol events. Ralph set eighteen national records while assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Training Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia from mid-1960 until retirement in 1968 while holding a continuous berth on the Army Blue Team which won a number of overall national championships during that time. He won the individual .22 Caliber National Champion at the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio 3 times including a score of 893 out of 900 with 44 x’s in 1966, a record that was not surpassed until last year using a laser sighted pistol vs. the iron sights of the 1960’s. Competing as a civilian he won the Manchester Trophy for the individual high civilian score at the national championships in 1972 and 1973, leading the Georgia state team to back-to-back national titles as well.

After retiring from the service in 1968, Ralph was hired by West Point Pepperell in West Point, Georgia, serving as personnel manager at several locations in Georgia and Alabama. In 1973, Ralph moved his family to New Braunfels to serve as the personnel manager for the Mission Valley textile mills which had been purchased by West Point Pepperell. From 1977 to 1981, Ralph participated in the startup hiring of several new businesses coming to New Braunfels, including Conroy/Glastron and Coleman Company. From 1981 to 1988 he served as Human Resources Director for Detex Corporation. After retiring in 1988, Ralph continued to provide HR consulting services to Alamo Group (Seguin), Checks in the Mail, and Simpson Race Products in New Braunfels. He also volunteered and worked for Hope Hospice and Ace Hardware, “fully” retiring at the age of 80 in 2008.

Ralph had a passion for flying. He learned to fly in the 1950’s while stationed at Fort Ord, California. In New Braunfels, Ralph purchased a number of planes and could often be found at the New Braunfels airport, either flying or “telling lies” in the pilot’s lounge. He also built 3 aircraft in his garage which he flew often and only crashed one of them!

Ralph started playing the guitar having learned the basics from his uncle Bonnie King in the early 1950’s. In 1956, while serving in Korea, he asked that his guitar be sent to him. Dot surprised him by shipping a brand new Gibson Jumbo Country and Western guitar to him in the case of his old guitar. He dearly loved the guitar and played it frequently at home and at gatherings of family and friends over the next 50+ years. He shared this passion with son Tommy and the two frequently played together to the appreciation of all.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 67 years, Dorothy Thompson of New Braunfels; sons Mike and wife Louise of Mojave Valley, Arizona; Jeff and wife Wendy of Boerne; Tommy and wife Susan of New Braunfels; and Dan Thompson of Cordova, Tennessee; Brothers-in- Law Don Albert and Stan Sandulak; grandchildren Kyle Thompson, Leslie Thompson and wife Kelly, David Villanueva and wife Alecia, Christi and husband J.D. Keller; Nikole Thompson; and four great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, and son, David Thompson.

Ralph’s family is grateful to all the staff at Kirkwood Manor, Maria Perez and her daughter Christi, and Arnette Goodwin for the loving care they provided during the last few months.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 16th at 11:00 am at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa Street, New Braunfels. A private inurnment will be held at Ft. Sam Houston at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hope Hospice, Kirkwood Manor, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or the charity of your choice.