Alfred Thompson

One evening in downtown Fort Collins, a baby-faced Marine walked around the corner of College & Mountain and saw a stunning woman through the window of J.J. Newberry’s Five & Dime. Inside stood a long-haired beauty named Helen Erickson. One look was all it took.

He took her dancing at what is now the Rio’s Agave Room, and from that moment forward, they built a life together that would span more than 70 years, including 68 years of kind, caring, and devoted marriage. Theirs was the kind of love story people hope for but rarely find. They never fought, they only “discussed.”

Alfred Dewitt Thompson, Jr., known affectionately as Al and Grandpa T, passed away peacefully on June 16, 2026, at the age of 101, surrounded by the family he loved so dearly.

Born on March 5, 1925, in Fort Collins, Colorado, Al was proud of his Cherokee heritage and grew up on his family’s land at the inlet of Horsetooth Reservoir, where he rode his horse to school – a one-room schoolhouse that now rests beneath the waters of Horsetooth Reservoir.

Long before he became a husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, and great-great-grandpa, Al was a U.S. Marine. He proudly served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, stationed on Midway Atoll as an aircraft mechanic. He often told stories about hand-cranking the engines of Dauntless aircraft throughout the night so they would be ready whenever duty called.

By a twist of fate that would shape the rest of his life, Al was called home after his father suffered a serious injury on the family ranch. While he was back in Colorado helping his family, the Battle of Midway took place. He was lucky; many of the young men Al served beside never returned home.

After the war, Al returned to Colorado and began the life with Helen they were meant to share. Together they raised their son Johney and daughter Janet and built a family that became his greatest source of pride.

Following Helen’s passing in 2014, many wondered how Al would carry on without the love of his life. Living on the ranch with Johney, Al found a new chapter filled with purpose, projects, and his faithful ranch dog, Pepper. Yet Helen was never far from his heart. He often spoke of dreaming vividly about her, and even in his final years, simply mentioning her name would bring tears to his eyes.

One of the humblest people you could ever meet, Al never considered himself extraordinary despite living an extraordinary life. He was generous with his time, resources, and knowledge. Almost always seen wearing his WWII Marine Corps cap, he received more attention in his later years than he ever would have asked for. Secretly, we think he enjoyed it just a little, and we enjoyed seeing him receive the recognition he had earned. He was deeply proud of his service in the Marine Corps.

While he would never have described himself this way, we will always remember him as part of the Greatest Generation.

Al loved fishing, car races, life on the ranch, his dog Pepper, playing cards, and spending time with family in the Ozarks. He had a remarkable mind for numbers and helped lead the family glass company, Auto Glass & Specialties (AGS Glass), for five decades. If you knew Al, you knew all about his tenacious work ethic and never-ending spirit. The mechanic in him loved to buy brand-new cars, but the practical businessman in him knew they weren’t always the smartest investment. He bought them, anyway, purchasing his most recent new truck at age 100.

Al is survived by his son, John (Rose), and daughter, Janet Smith; granddaughters Michelle, Angie (Bill), and Jen (Lyndie); great-grandchildren Kayzha (Zack), Lauren, Ryan, Elena (Shawn), Jaylee, Macy, Rylee, and Sydney; and great-great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Savannah, Dominic, Dallas, Tyler, Devlin, and Colin. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred Dewitt and Faye Thompson; his beloved wife, Helen; his siblings, Meredith Koehler and Arthur Thompson; and son-in-law, Steve Smith.

After 101 extraordinary years, Al and his stories will be missed by many. But we smile through our tears imagining our Marine, once again spotting his long-haired beauty through the window of the heavenly Five & Dime. Rest in love, Grandpa T.