Teresa Thompson
October 28, 1934 — March 27, 2023
Aurora, Utah - Maria Teresa Gonzalez Thompson, 88, passed away peacefully at home in Aurora, Utah on March 27, 2023. She was born in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, October 28, 1934, after her mother went into labor after tripping over a log in the yard. She was the youngest of seven children born to Pablo Gonzalez and Lucia Garza, and as such her nickname became “Baby” in the family. She graduated from Martin High School in Laredo, Texas in May 1953 where she was active in Pep Club and a member of both the shorthand and type teams while also working part time for a lawyer as his secretary. Knowing both Spanish and English was a great help in this employment.
One fateful night she went with her friend to a dance at Laredo Air Force Base in Laredo, Texas, and met a handsome airman named Bryan Dale Thompson. They soon fell in love and married on November 21, 1954, in Laredo, Texas. People dubbed them the “Hollywood Couple” because of his James Dean looks and her Elizabeth Taylor beauty. After Bryan’s Airforce time was complete, they moved to Salina, Utah. Their marriage was solemnized in the Manti, Utah Temple on June 18, 1986. They are the parents of 6 children, Kenneth Dale Thompson (deceased), Stuart Craig (Nancy) Thompson of Salina, Utah, David Bruce (Jann) Thompson of Aurora, Utah, Hilary Jo (Troy) Martin of Layton, Utah, Lanette (Don) Crane of Bennington, Idaho and Nanette (Don) Smith of Layton, Utah. They have 20 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren.
They lived in Salina and Aurora, Utah throughout the remainder of their lives with the last 54 years of it in Aurora. This is where they raised their family and Teresa rarely missed an event her children were involved in, whether it was sports, dance, or any of the many activities in a family of six kids. She was a staunch supporter of her children.
Teresa worked for a lawyer as a young girl, a bank when she first moved to Utah, the Salina Auction and spent many, many years as a typesetter and editor of the Salina Sun Newspaper. She was very proper in her grammar and spelling and taught her children well. She spent the remainder of her working years as the receptionist at the Richfield Care Center where many of the residents loved to come and visit at her front desk. She enjoyed her time working there and especially enjoyed playing card games during lunch breaks with her coworkers and friends. She loved to play games, (especially word games) and enjoyed doing large puzzles. She was a member of a bowling league for many years and loved bowling.
Teresa was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She did the Sunday program for many years and spent most Saturday mornings in the church library making sure it was all ready for the Sunday services. She was also the coach for the Aurora Ward Girl’s Softball Team and loved coaching and playing softball.
She enjoyed traveling to visit her family in Texas and her children in Tennessee, Idaho and throughout Utah. Many memories were made with the family traveling to Texas once a year to visit her family in Laredo, Texas. As a hobby she loved doing needlework and embroidery. She made baby quilts for her grandchildren and spent many hours with a needle and embroidery floss.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bryan Dale, her son Kenneth Dale Thompson, parents Pablo Gonzalez and Lucia Garza Gonzalez, brothers Carlos Gonzalez and Pablo (Buddy) Gonzalez, Jr., Sisters Veronica Gonzalez Everett, Irma Gonzalez Sandoval Yancy and Graciela (Grace) Gabriela Gonzalez Elliott.
She’s survived by her brother Richard Gonzalez.
The family would like to thank Teresa’s son and daughter-in-law, Davy and Jann Thompson, for their live- in care, patience, love and support for Teresa for the past many years. Without them she would not have been able to be at home and enjoy the last years of her life there. We would also like to thank At Home Health Care & Hospice nurses Jessica, Kristen and Heather for all their care and support. Their kindness, patience and love were more than we could have ever asked for, especially during the last few days of Teresa’s life.
Graveside Service and a Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 12:00 pm at the Aurora City Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.
Live streaming of the services can be found here about 15 minutes prior to starting time.
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