Obituary of George E. Thompson III

George Edward "Tommy" Thompson III, of Iowa City, Iowa, passed away Monday, March 18, 2013, at his home. Funeral Mass will be held 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City (with Sunday parking available). Visitation will be from 4-7 Tuesday at the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service with a vigil service beginning at 7 p.m. Tommy was born October 13th, 1926, in Waterloo, Iowa; son of George Edward II and Maria "Mary" (Koloc) Thompson. He married Charlotte K Thompson on June 6th, 1950, at St Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City. He and K raised their two children, Tami and Stephen in Iowa City. Tommy was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, attending 751 football games since his first game in 1938. He was a great supporter of the Iowa Wrestling Team and crafted numerous championship belt buckles over the years. Tommy loved Hawkeye athletics, football, basketball and wrestling! He was inducted as an honorary letterman in 1986. Tommy grew up and attended Catholic School Cedar Rapids, IA. He joined the Ice Capades in his late teens, skating until a fall that broke his shoulder, putting an end to his skating career. After skating, Tommy served stateside in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist mate during WWII. He was a pro golfer and attempted to join the pro tour. In the early 1950's Tommy and K owned and ran Tommy's Golf Range, next to the Iowa City airport, until a required airport expansion forced their closing. Tommy joined the Cherry Burrell Corp. in Cedar Rapids as a toolmaker/welder and worked with them until his retirement in the early 1990s. Tommy is survived by this two children, Stephen Thompson and his wife Molly (Shannon) of Eagle River, AK, Tami Rinehart and her husband, Don of New River, AZ; four grandchildren, Michael Thompson and Stephanie Powell and husband, Edward, Christopher Rinehart and Nicole Irving and husband, Nicholas; two great- grandchildren, Lawrence "Holden" and Shayla Powell, his sister, Patricia Eichenberg of Albuquerque, NM; as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Charlotte K Thompson (Fisk) in 2001.