Ralph Maughan Thompson

Ralph Maughan Thompson was born on March 19, 1927 to James Vincent Thompson and Bessie Pearl Maughan Thompson in Park City, Utah, when Park City was a mining town (not a ski resort). He had four brothers Jim, Paul, Richard and Heber, each preceding him in death, they each being the stock of strong Mormon pioneers. He was raised in Park City and Salt Lake City, graduating from South High School in 1944 as his parents and Heber were moving to Richland, WA where his father got a job as an electrician at the new nuclear facility at Hanford, WA. As soon as he turned 18, March 1945, he immediately went Seattle to enlist in the Navy to serve during World War II. He went to San Diego for boot camp and the boarded the battleship New Jersey for Hawaii. From Hawaii he shipped out, heading for the Philippines. A few days out the war thankfully ended on August 15, 1945-V-J Day. He was dropped off on Guam where he remained for about a year as a jeep and truck driver and mechanic. He was discharged in August 1946 at Bremerton, WA.

The next month after being discharged from the Navy, he began his education at Washington State College (now WSU), majoring in mechanical engineering, with a few art course thrown in. In fall 1947 he moved to Logan, UT to attend Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State) and live with his grandmother (Ragna Jemaima) Maughan (his grandfather Heber Chase Maughan passed away in 1944). At UA he changed his major to art, where he met Patricia Ann Tschanz, who was also an art major. They fell in love and were married on September 4, 1948 in Mackay, ID (Pat's home town), then immediately moved to Seattle, WA where he attend the University of Washington as an art major for three years. Their oldest son David was born while they lived in Kirkland, across the lake from the university. He obtained a secondary teaching certificate in spring 1951 and took a job teaching for the Yakima (WA) School District in August 1951, teaching art and coaching football, basketball and track at Franklin Junior High. After 17 years at Franklin he moved to Davis (Yakima) High School and continued teaching tracking and coaching bowling. In Yakima they had four more children Debra (passed 2012), Valerie, Mathew and Nathan. They moved from Yakima to Selah in fall 1963.

In 2007 his beloved Pat passed away, creating a huge void in his life. He moved to Bothell, WA in December 2013 to be close to three of his four remaining children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Last few months of his life he lived at Sunrise of Bothell Retirement Community where they loved and treated him wonderfully.

Ralph was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yakima and Selah and spent countless hours in service to the Lord. He virtually never missed attending Sunday services; the Sunday before he passed, being in the hospital, was the first time he missed in years.

He passed away on February 17, 2016 in Kirkland, WA (Gene & Irene Wockner Hospice Center) and is now on the other side (to day shalt thou be with me in paradise) united again with his wife Patricia, daughter Debra, parents, brothers and other loved ones. He had great faith that families can be together forever. He is survived by his sons and daughter, David (Maudjean), Valerie (Joe), Mathew (Lori) and Nathan (Michelle), 19 grandchildren, and 37 great grandchildren, who will miss him dearly.