Bruce Allan Thompson

Bruce was born at home in Wautoma, Wisconsin to Ellef & Florence Thompson. He died at the UCSD Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center in San Diego, California from complications of emergency heart surgery. He is survived by his wife Patricia Thompson of Oceanside, Ca; son Christopher Thompson of Bonsall, Ca; grandson Tyler Thompson of Carrboro, North Carolina; and brothers Terry (Kathy) of Wild Rose, Brian of Appleton, and sister Mary Pat of Wautoma all in Wisconsin.

Bruce graduated from Wautoma High School 1955 as Salutatorian, winning awards in band, athletics, and student government. He went on to Marquette University in Milwaukee to earn a BS in chemistry, graduating in 1959. During college he played professional saxophone with The Three Aces orchestra. Then he proceeded to Marquette University Medical School graduating in 1963.

He joined the U. S. Navy in 1964 & served with the 3rd Marine Division/12 regiment (artillery) in Okinawa Japan. During Vietnam War, he served under hostile fire in Danang. After the war, he completed his Orthopedic residency-Naval Hospital Chelsea, Massachusetts & clinical residency at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, Los Angeles. He was Chief of Orthopedics at Naval Hospital, Long Beach; Chief of surgical services aboard the USS Sanctuary hospital ship for a humanitarian cruise to Columbia and Haiti; & the only Navy orthopedic surgeon in the Mediterranean at Naval Medical Center Naples Italy where he met & married LT/NC Patricia Rapp. At Navy Medical Center Camp Pendleton he was promoted to Captain/USN/MC; his son Christopher born 31 January 1979; and he cruised aboard the USS New Orleans to Philippines, Japan, Australia, and Africa. In 1985, he retired from Navy.

After retirement, he worked as an Independent Medical Examiner for Redhill Medical Management/Workmen’s Compensation cases & as a Jail doc for San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. And in 1999, his beloved grandson, Tyler Matthew Thompson was born.

In 2005, he & Pat participated in the Shinto Wedding of their Japanese daughter, Eri Funaya. And in August of 2017, a French granddaughter, Marguerite Moracchini, joined his family.

Bruce loved his God, his family and his country, in that order. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. He volunteered as a Lectors for Sunday Masses, on the Parish Finance Council, and in the library of the Franciscan School of Theology at Mission San Luis Rey. His hobbies included cultivating bonsai trees, building ship models, studying wines of the world, traveling the globe, spending time with his family & friends. And one of his most favorite things to do was take a “Fun Day” to the S.D. Zoo or Safari Park, Maritime Museum, watch the San Salvador being replicated, Balboa Park museums, shop for bleu cheese, wine or sushi.

He was gentle, faithful, loyal, conscientious & meticulous in all he did. He loved life & he loved us. And he always will. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bruce’s honor to Doctors Without Borders.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eternalhillsmortuary.com for the Thompson family.