Stanley Gene Thompson Jr., age 67, stepped into Eternity on Tuesday, Aug. 29, after one last summer of laughter and love at home with his family. He was born Sept. 21, 1955, in Montpelier, Idaho, to Stanley Gene Sr. and Norene Murdock Thompson, the oldest of four children. Stan grew up on the Thompson Land & Livestock Ranch, three miles south of Cokeville, where he learned to work hard.
He graduated from Cokeville High School in 1974 and then went on to study and graduate from Denver Automotive and Diesel College in 1975. He came back to Cokeville to fulfill his dream of working on the ranch and marrying his high school sweetheart, Betty Jo Buckley, on Sept. 18, 1976.
They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan LDS Temple on June 5, 1996. Together they welcomed six children: Michael (Angela) Thompson of Cokeville; Meaghan (Bryon) Stinson of Laramie; Stanley James “Jim” (Amy) Thompson of Lyman; Zane Thompson of Cokeville; Marlena (Jeremiah) Johnson of Green River; and Michaela (Sean) Neth of Midvale, Utah.
For years, Stan participated in bowling, softball, baseball and basketball leagues around the Bear River valley. He excitedly took on the role of “coach” as the defensive line coordinator for the Rich High School Rebels in Randolph, Utah, in 1990. He coached for 25 years alongside and among some of his very best friends. He also coached at Bear Lake High School for five years.
Stan took his civic duties seriously and, at the time of his passing, was serving as Cokeville mayor, a position he already filled for eight years two decades ago. He also has served on the city council for 12 years, as well as on the Lincoln County Predator Board, and Planning and Zoning Committee.
He was awarded the Cokeville Citizen of the Year in 2004 and for “20 Years of Service” to the Town of Cokeville. He also actively helped Lincoln County Search and Rescue for most of his life. His favorite church callings were Cub Scout leader, master and primary teacher.
For years you could find him and the best group of men cooking all night long in the church parking lot for the 24th of July celebration. A couple of those years he could be spotted the next afternoon with his Wild Cow Milkin’ partner, Jon Child, winning buckles at the rodeo.
Stan never walked into an event or town where he didn’t run into someone he knew. He was a friend to everyone he met. He donated and sponsored to every good cause and would not be out-auctioned when a chocolate roll was up for grabs.
Stan fought valiantly against cancer and, after receiving a grim diagnosis, he defied the odds and lived many years past the doctor’s time frame. He never let cancer get him down as he continued to contract hay every summer as Stan Thompson Haying.
He enjoyed chasing around his 10 grandkids — whether it was on the mat, court, field, show ring, or even throwing rocks in the river. Anyone who knew him will never deny that Stan was loyal to the Wyoming Cowboys to the very end. Go Pokes!
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Cokeville Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with an interment to follow at the Cokeville Cemetery. There will be a viewing held from 6-8 p.m. the night before, Friday Sept. 1, at the Cokeville LDS church, along with another viewing prior to the Saturday service, from 9 to 10:45 a.m.
