Kenneth Lester Thompson

Kenneth Lester Thompson, 71, passed away at 3:52AM on December 28, 2021 at Green leaf Health Campus in Elkhart. Ken was born February 7, 1950 in Elkhart to Joan Lillian (Stader) and Chester A. Thompson.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Ann; a son, David (Tonya) Thompson; and a granddaughter, Kayla Jane Thompson, all of Elkhart; a sister, Rita (Mark) Wegner od Baldwin, MI, and a number of nieces and nephews, all of Michigan. His parents, a sister, Denise, and a brother, Douglas, preceded him in death.

Ken graduated from Elkhart Central High School in 1968 and attended Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He spent 2 years in San Antonio, Texas and 2 years in Fairbanks, Alaska before being honorably discharged in 1974.

On September 5, 1970, he married his high school sweetheart, Jane Deisch of Nappanee. After living in Texas and Alaska, the couple returned to Elkhart, where they lived for 12 years before moving to South Bend in 1986. They moved backed to Elkhart in 2013 and celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2020.

Ken worked for the South Bend Medical Foundation from high school until retirement in 2012. He was a medical laboratory technologist in hematology and chemistry.

Ken loved being Kayla Jane’s grandfather more than anything. She was the sunshine in his life. Ken was also close to his family, especially his son, David. He enjoyed being with the small children at church.

Visitation will be from 10AM until 12PM, followed by a funeral service at 12PM on Monday, January 3, 2022 at Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home in Elkhart. Pastor Dennis Olsen of Adamsville Road Church of God will officiate. A graveside service for Kenneth will follow at 2PM at Bremen Cemetery in Bremen, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306 or to his church, Adamsville Road Church of God, 51287 C.R. 7, Elkhart, IN 46514.

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