Celebrating the Life of Roy L. Thompson

April 29, 1927 – February 25, 2017

Date of Funeral: Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 11:00 am

Roseville Lutheran Church

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Thompson, Roy L. Age 89, of Roseville, passed away peacefully on February 25, 2017. Preceded in death by parents, Arnold W. and Elsie (Schultz) Thompson, brother Francis, and wife Blythe. Survived by children Brad (Sherry), Barbara (Craig) and Curtis (Jodi), and grandchildren, Shane, Shanda, Cassie, and Annika. Roy grew up on a farm near Kensington, attended West Central School of Agriculture, and the U of M, and earned his PhD from Penn State. His professional career was devoted to agriculture in numerous areas of the world. He started with the MN Crop Improvement Assoc., and later served as an agronomist with the U of M Morris, CIAT with the Rockefeller Foundation in Colombia, S.A and the U of M Extension. He was also the Assistant Director of the MN Agricultural Experiment Station. In addition to living in Colombia, S.A. for 5 years, Roy and Blythe traveled extensively for pleasure and agricultural work in the Philippines, Thailand, N. Sumatra, Indonesia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Mexico, Israel, England, Italy, China, Turkey, Korea, Australia, Russia and Japan. Roy also served in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps in Japan. Roy enjoyed many hobbies, including hunting, photography, bird watching, woodworking, sports and piloting airplanes. He was an active member in FarmHouse Fraternity, the North Central Experiment Station Directors Assoc., and the American Society of Agronomy. He was also a past president of Roseville Lutheran Church. Roy will be missed by all who knew and loved him, and will live on in our hearts.