Orville Thompson

Orville Dean Thompson Jr. known as Dean peacefully entered his heavenly home on April 27, 2024, from Indian Hills Manor, Ogallala, NE, where he had been tenderly cared for since October, 2023, when he could no longer live on his beloved ranch of 77 years.

Dean was born on February 15, 1926, to Orville Dean Thompson and Lena F. (Kruger) Thompson and came home to their ranch in McPherson County, joining his older sister Evelyn. The most important event of his life came at 11 years of age when he gave his life to his Lord Jesus and was baptized in Center Valley Lake. He only left the ranches of Arthur and McPherson County for his 18-month service to the nation in the Philippines and Japan during the end of World War II. The second most important event of his life occurred when he married Doris Jean Tiffany on August 24, 1947, and they set out on their life together on the ranch.

Besides ranching Dean's life was centered on his service to God through the churches of Center Valley and Arthur Baptist Churches and to the surrounding communities. This included short-term mission assignments in Haiti and Bacone College in OK, serving as president of the American Baptist Men of NE and in various other roles within the American Baptist USA denomination, and contributions within the Gideons International. He fulfilled his community duties by serving as County Commissioner and on various school boards and Farm Bureau offices. His greatest ranch enjoyment was haying, and he took great pride in all his building projects throughout the community. Dean's creativity blessed many with his poetry, his book, Ninety Years on Short Grass and Sand, his article writing in the local papers and his woodworking projects.

Dean is survived by his children, Barbara Jean (Pat) Golden Perone; Sandra Deanne (Chuck) John; Brian Dean (Jerri); grandchildren Brian (Karen) Perone; Laura Golden; Thomas (Stacey) Perone; Jennifer (Warren) Mertz; Tiffany (Matthew Quinn) John; Bethanie (Kyle Reinhard) John; Drew Jetter; great-grandchildren Anna Perone, Logan Perone, Colin Perone, and Nathan Perone; sisters-in-law Helen Thompson and Doris Elaine Tiffany; many nieces, nephews and cousins, and scores of friends and neighbors. Dean was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 68 years, his parents, his siblings, Evelyn M. (Robert) Shimmin; Jack E. (June); Donald E.

Services will be held at the Arthur Baptist Church on Saturday May 4, 2024 at 2 PM with private family inurnment in the Arthur Cemetery.

Gifts may be given in Dean's honor to the Arthur Baptist Church (P.O. Box 125, Arthur, NE, 69121), Moses Merrill Camp & Conference Center (check to MMCCC | 2849 Co Rd 31, Bldg 3 | Linwood, NE 68036) or the Gideons International (The Gideons International Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251.)

Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.