Obituary of Edna Owens Thompson

Edna Irene Owens Thompson, born July 14, 1913 in Trout, Louisiana to the union of Sid and Ethel Owens was called home by her beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, January 2, 2014 at the Rex Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center in Raleigh, North Carolina where she had resided since June 2002. A former resident of Columbia, Mrs. Thompson moved from Lake Charles in 1973 with her late husband, James Hardie Thompson, Sr. to 203 Boatner Street in the former home of his late parents, Jim and Flora Thompson. In that home the Thompsons celebrated both their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries. Often seen in their rocking chairs on the front porch, the welcome mat was always out. Mrs. Thompson was active in the Caldwell Council on Aging and the Grayson United Methodist Church prior to her move to NC. She is survived by her daughter, Beverly Thompson Jones and husband, Dale of Raleigh, daughter-in-law, Tip Thompson of Lake Charles, grandchildren, James Hardie Thompson III and wife, Mary, John R. Thompson, David Baxter Thompson and wife, Elizabeth, Loree Thompson Bordelon, all of Baton Rouge, Vanessa Thompson of Myrtle Beach, SC, Terry Thompson of Jennings, Judy Thompson Norwood and husband, Stephen and Joanna Thompson of Lake Charles, Paula Jones, and Larry Jones of Raleigh, NC, nineteen great-grandchildren, and numerous great-great grandchildren, special niece, Robbie Tuppen Fontenot and husband, Ronnie, of Bridge City, Texas, numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved "adopted" children, the Orvis Harold Watson family of Caldwell Parish. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sons, James Hardie Thompson, Jr. and Jerry Owens Thompson, her daughter-in-law, Geraldine Newton Thompson, her granddaughters, Claire Irene Thompson and Leigh Anne Jones Williams, her grandson, Glen Owens Thompson, brothers, Oscar, Lonnie and Wayne Owens, and sisters, Sydney Owens Feil, Jimmie Owens Cooper, Elma Owens Jeter, Myrtis Owens Young, Ruth Owens Hryhorchuk and Sybil Owens Hays. A memorial service was held on Monday, January 6th at Crossroads Fellowship in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mrs. Thompson faithfully worshipped at Crossroads during her stay in NC and was active in the Thursday night Small Group as well as serving as a greeter at the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings where she warmly received and gave hugs to young and old. Pallbearers will be her grandsons: James Hardie Thompson, III, John Reid Thompson, David Baxter Thompson, Terry Thompson, Stephen Norwood, Larry Carter Jones, Orvis H. "Trey" Watson and great-grandsons: Eric Thompson, James Adam Thompson, Sr., David Baxter Thompson, II. Honorary pallbearers will be her great-great-grandsons: James Adam Thompson, Jr., Ian Michael Thompson, and Ryan Baxter Thompson. Funeral services will be held at Riser Funeral Home in Columbia on Saturday, January 11th at 2:00 PM with Rev. John Vining, Rev. Howard Hudson and Rev. Dorothy Smith officiating and soloists for the service is Melody Weintraub and Ann Burns. Visitation will be Noon until 2:00 PM. Burial will follow at the Welcome Home Cemetery in Grayson. Mrs. Thompson's family wishes to thank the many friends in Caldwell Parish who befriended her through the years. Special thanks to her Grayson United Methodist Church family and the Council on Aging. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Grayson United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 177, Grayson, LA 71435 or the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home, P.O. Box 929, Ruston, LA 71273-9976.