Charles passed away in Yuma, AZ with family by his side.
His great-grandparents were early pioneers to the valley in 1903. "Charlie" to his friends and family was born in San Diego, CA.
As a small baby he crawled outside and was ran over by a car which broke his right leg in six places and was the youngest baby treated by Scripps hospital at the time. The family had a dairy off old Hwy 98 and Charlie worked on the dairy for years, cut hay, irrigated, and woke early to care for, feed and milk the cows before going to school.
He went to grade school at Mt. Signal and Jasper Elementary Schools. He graduated from Calexico High School in 1946. Charlie played trombone in the high school band and was fourth in the State for C.I.F. Wrestling in his weight class. Charlie went to IVC and got his Associates degree in Mechanical engineering. Charlie drove the school bus and during such time a young woman stole a carburetor he was repairing from under his driver's seat setting the hook that eventually caught Charlie for a date.
Charlie and Marion Catherine Crumrine were married November 20, 1948. Charlie and Marion lived at the Plaster City Village for a few years then they moved to El Centro. Charlie and Marion had two sons George Lyle and Richard Charles. Charlie always instilled in his boys that going to school was a privilege, and that any job worth doing was worth doing it right. Charlie went to work for US Gypsum where he became the Maintenance Foreman for over 35 years. He retired from USG and formed a partnership with his son Richard. They called their business Thompson Machining. He worked with his wife, Marion, son George, grandchildren Erik and Jessica and daughter-in-law Valerie at Thompson Machining until his retirement.
Charlie was preceded in death by his son, George and wife Marion and brother Claude Thompson.
He is survived by his son Richard Thompson and Valerie, their children, Sarah and Mike Lisi and great-grandchildren, Zoe, Shiloh, Jonah and expecting a new great grandchild in October of Minneapolis, MN. Erik and Amelia Thompson and great-grandchildren, Matthew and Melanie of El Centro, CA, Jessica and Ruel Cantos expecting their first child, great-grandchild, in August of Milpitas, CA. George's children Cherie and Jeff Kowalow and great grandchildren, Kelsey and Kiley of Temecula, CA. Christa and Frank Bennett and great-grandchild Brandon of San Diego, CA. He is also survivied by his sister, Mary Rohn and sister-in-law Arlene Thompson both of San Diego, CA; brother-in-law Richard Crumrine of La Jolla, CA; sister-in-law, Thelma and Fred Nagel of Hudson, WI.
Charlie lived with Richard and Valerie Thompson since 2001 in his own home, he loved living in the country again. He loved all of his family members dearly including his dogs and will be missed by all that knew him.
Published in Imperial Valley Press Online on Apr. 14, 2015
