Nickolie Alton Thompson age 92, of Sheyenne, ND, died Monday, September 5, 2016 at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd, New Rockford, ND.

Nickolie Alton Thompson was born on October 25, 1923 in a house in Sheyenne. He was in Sheyenne because his whole family except for his mother had scarlet fever and it would have been dangerous to stay with them on the farm. He was the son of Nickolie Alfred and Elide (Georgeson) Thompson, and he grew up on the family farm north of the Rock Township Hall in Benson County.  Alton remembered that his house was so cold in the mornings during winter that there would be frost on the blankets from the kids breathing. His earliest memory was going to barn dances with his parents because his dad played in the band. Alton attended Plainview Country School #1 for 8 years. After his schooling he worked at the black smith’s shop in Sheyenne for a time. In the late 1930’s, Alton decided he wanted to become a barber, and rode the rails as a hobo to California to look for a job. When he was unsuccessful, he again rode the rails back to Sheyenne. When he returned home he first worked for the WPA in South Dakota, and then he worked on several farms and as a carpenter in the Sheyenne area.

Nickolie Alton met Phyllis K. Ostby when she was going to high school in Sheyenne. Alton married Phyllis on February 17, 1941 at the age of 18. They were married in Phyllis’s parent’s house that the Bergruds are living in now. Alton decided to farm on his own in 1948. They farmed east of Sheyenne and raised five children. Alton loved farming the land and raising livestock.  Phyllis died on January 14, 2011.

Alton was proud to be a founding member of Sheyenne Wildlife Federation, and on May 13, 1963, he was elected to the first Board of Directors. When the small country schools closed Alton helped define school district lines by going door to door asking families where they wanted to send their children.  They had a choice of Sheyenne, Oberon, Warwick or New Rockford.  He also carried a petition for families to sign that raised money to build the addition on the Sheyenne school and felt this work for the school was one of the most important things he had done.  He was also involved in the creation of Warsing Dam at Sheyenne.   In addition, Alton belonged to several organizations including the Eagles of New Rockford and the Trail Riders. His favorite past times were hunting and fishing. During his life he enjoyed traveling to Branson, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee.

He is survived by his children; Kay Hartung, Dubuque, IA, Robert Thompson, Sheyenne, Douglas (Brenda) Thompson, Aberdeen, SD, Nickolie (Jackie) Thompson, Sheyenne, Ryan Thompson, Moorhead, MN; 20 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.Alton was preceded in death by his parents and stepmother Alma Thompson; siblings Neal, Myrtle, Stella, Thelma, Bud, Gail, and Roy; and one grandchild Kayla Thompson.

PRAYER SERVICE:

Sunday (Sept 11th) at 7PM in Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd Chapel, New Rockford

FUNERAL SERVICE:

First Lutheran Church, Sheyenne, ND

DATE AND TIME:

Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:00PM

BURIAL:

Riverside Cemetery, Sheyenne