September 30, 1928 - August 03, 2009
Doris Eugenia Thompson Obituary
Doris Thompson passed away peacefully early Monday morning surrounded by her loving family. The serenity and calm that marked her passing matched the fortitude and grace with which she faced her 10-year battle with cancer and the pneumonia that
ultimately took her. Doris Karvonen Thompson is survived by her best friend and devoted husband of nearly 60 years, Wayne Thompson, and their five children (Gregory, wife Dot of North Fort Myers, FL and son Jeremy and wife Hope; Geffrey of Coeur d'Alene, ID, fianc?e Patricia Williams and son Jason; Griffin, wife Carmen of Rockville, MD and daughter Camila; Garrick, wife Colleen of Spokane and son Rhett and wife Leslie; and Tracy, husband Wesley of Portland, OR and son Jonathan and daughter Courtney), and sister Rosella Calkins of Oviedo, FL and numerous nieces and nephews. Doris and Wayne settled on the South Side of Spokane in 1963 where Doris would walk to and from Sacred Heart Hospital where she served as Head Nurse of Obstetrics for 25 years. During this time she introduced a number of innovative maternity practices and programs to the hospital such as birthing rooms and special prenatal counseling to expectant unwed mothers. During her many years at Sacred Heart she mentored hundreds of young RNs, LPNs and nurses aids while delighting in the birth of thousands of baby boys and girls.
Becoming the Head Nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital was quite an achievement for the girl of Finnish descent who was raised on a small farm in Frederick, South Dakota. Earning her nursing school tuition by shooting gophers for neighboring farmers, Doris graduated Valedictorian of her class. But despite her academic honors and her many professional accomplishments, she consistently maintained that her greatest success and happiness came from being the loving wife of Wayne and the dedicated mother of her five children. Wayne and Doris took great joy in laughing and loving together wherever they were, be it family gatherings, the race track, antique auctions, yard sales, or just side by side at the end of a long day sharing with one another the events of each others' day. Family and friends alike will miss Doris' joyful exuberance and tenacious grasp of life. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M Saturday August 8, 2009 at Heritage Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Hospice of Spokane are encouraged.
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