Barbara Thompson

Barbara Jean Thompson found peace in the loving arms of our Lord on Friday, March 24, 2017. She was born on January 29, 1930 in Waukesha, the daughter of Paul Benjamin and Josephine (Kowalski) Abplanalp. She attended Union Grade School and graduated from Waukesha High School in 1948. She worked over 40 years in retail, starting at F.W. Woolworth, then McCoy’s Department Store. McCoy’s was sold to Johnson Hills and then Kline’s. She was a linens and domestics buyer and department manager in the last three companies. In 1992, Kline’s closed and she worked at Waukesha Memorial Hospital in food service for the next 18 years, retiring in 2010.
She lived most of her life in Waukesha, but also lived in Colorado, Mississippi, Texas, and Germany. She was the historian in the family and enjoyed searching her family lineage. She was a former member of the Waukesha Genealogical Society and Waukesha Historical Society, and was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Waukesha. She enjoyed being with her family and friends, and was a very caring and loving person.
She is survived by her sons Ralph (Rose) Thompson of Beaver Dam, WI and Robert Thompson of Waukesha, her daughter-in-law Teri Wagner of Colorado, sister Sally Feryan of Oshkosh and brother Richard (Barbara) Abplanalp of Waukesha. She was the proud grandmother of Russell (Kimberly) Thompson of Jefferson, Brian (April) Thompson of Beaver Dam, Daniel Thompson of Germany, and Heather and Rebecca Thompson of Waukesha, and great-grandmother of Cody and Destiny Bowser, Cassandra, Weston, and Dylan Thompson, and Leila Taubert. She is further survived by her sisters-in-law Margaret “Peggy” Abplanalp and Jean Abplanalp of Waukesha, longtime friends, Lorraine Singer, Kathleen Hunt, Lorene Sievert, and Jeffery Jones along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Waiting for her to join them are her parents, son Kenneth Alan Thompson, grandson Corey Thompson, brothers Paul Jr. and William Abplanalp, sister Nancy Kolanowski, daughter-in-law Joyce Thompson, brothers-in-law Dennis Feryan and Richard Kolanowski, nephews Donald Abplanalp, Jeffrey Carlson, and niece Katherine Abplanalp.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2017 from 9:00 AM until the time of the 11:00 AM funeral Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church 225 S. Hartwell Ave., Waukesha, WI 53186. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Waukesha. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family are appreciated.