Frank Thompson

Frank Lieman Thompson of Peterborough and formerly of Bancroft, passed peacefully with his loving wife Norma McCormack of 4 years by his side at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. Pre-deceased by his first wife Marylou of 56 years. Dear father of Dale (Sue), Dana (Tanya), and Lorna (Ron). Memories of Grampa will always be cherished in the hearts of his grandchildren Joshua, Jeremy, Sarina, Troy, Lindsay, Dave, Jeff (Carley), Michelle (Dave) and by his 12great-grandchildren. Pre-deceased by his grandson Christopher. Frank will be sadly missed by his sister Anita Jessup (the late Don). Pre-deceased by his parents Harold & Cecelia Thompson and his sister Eulla Maschke. Fondly remembered by his nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and many friends. Frank was an active member of the Masonic Lodge and proud to serve as Past Grand Chaplain and Past Grand Senior Warden. He & Norma enjoyed the last few years travelling together and spending time with family. 

Cremation has taken place with Milestone Funeral Center, Northbrook. A Celebration of Life and interment will take place at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery (79 Hastings St,South Bancroft, Ont.) on Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 1pm. Masonic Memorial Service will take place at 12:45pm (Masons please arrive at the Cemetery by 12:30pm). Friends desiring may contribute in memory of Frank to the charity of your choice with appreciation.

MY LIFE by FRANK THOMPSON

I was born on Spring Street in Bancroft on July 23, 1938 to Harold & Cecelia Thompson (Musclow). Eulla Maschke and Anita Jessup were my sisters. We lived on the south end of Hastings Street. My Dad Harold built a house on Alice St., I don”t recall much until I was about five years old.

At the age of six is when I started school, that sure was different. Near the end of the school year the first world war ended. The teachers lined us up in rows of twos and gave us a Union Jack flag and we paraded all around the town. It was an exciting day everyone was celebrating. The church bells were ringing horns were blowing everyone was happy the war was over.

A couple of months after that dad was hired to deliver bread. We rode with him around town to Coe Hill,  Baptist, Maynooth and what they called around the horn. Dad and mom decided to put an addition on the house. They got started on the house and dad got laid off. The house was jacked up so they had to keep building. Tragic happened dad had a heart attack he was put in bed. That left us three kids to look after the garden and feed the pigs and clean the pen.

I was in the boy scouts we had meetings every week there was apple day every fall, and we march in all the parades. There was camping trips we had a good time. Dad sold the house and bought a restaurant in Maynooth and we moved there in 1951 there was a lot work there. Eulla and Anita waited on tables, mom was the cook dad manage the front counter and the business part. My part was shovel snow cut grass fill pop coolers sweep sidewalks and put the wood in the basement in the fall. There was a barn behind the restaurant dad kept it full of hay in the winter and it was my job to sell it to the farmers.

I started going to school in September in a two room school. I went there a year and a half and the new school it had four class rooms and was built and we moved over there. After finishing grade eight I went to high school in Bancroft it was different I failed the first year but the next year was no trouble at all I was even the class president. I was in the Cadet Corp. and graduated to Sargent, we would go on army schemes. We would attack each other. We built a shooting range in the basement of the high school I won my cross rifle award. At the end of the year I quit school.

The middle of July I was hired on the Dept. of Lands and Forests where we would work at Weslemkoon Lake. The job consisted of jergling trees to save the yellow birch. I was unfortunately laid off at the end of October. We were to get hired on after Christmas, but mom said get job or go back to school. l didn”t want that and a got a job at Faraday Mine. It was a good job but a accident happened and my best friend was killed I never quit I stayed I had a good job.

I meant Marylou Young and we went together a couple years and were married in 1960 .We lived in Birds Creek after that we moved to Bancroft I got laid off from work. We moved to Oshawa for three months and I got called back to Faraday mine ,all was good apartment. The news came the mine was closing.

When I heard General Motors was hiring l put an application in and two week later was hired. We were three months finding an apartment. The  apartment was close to Dales school. We live there for two years and he landlord wanted to move into the house so we had to move. I didn”t want to be told to move again so we bought a house in Whitby 809 Annes Street.

I was nice to live in your own home. I joined the Masonic lodge in March of 1972. I went through the chairs and was elected master in 1979. Later on I got a demitt. As years went by we had Dana and Lorna the three of  them grew up in that house we had a lot of good times. We were there thirty two years and our uncle Percy past away and they gave us first chance to buy the house. Marylou had breast cancer and her breast was taken off we had a hard decision make, and we made and bought it. When we move in the back yard was let go and it took me a couple of to get it cleaned up.

I affiliated with Bancroft Masonic Lodge and went though the chairs again and was elected Master in 2008 and in 2016 I was appointed assistant Grand Chaplain.

Norman wanted someone to drive his delivery truck and I did it for ten years. We lived a normal life until Marylou stared to loosing weight and when we found out what was she had breast cancer. She went to Peterborough Hospital, seven weeks later she past away on the twenty third of September.  Her interment was mount pleasant cemetery in Bancroft

Norma & Garnet and Marylou and I were friends for years. After the passing of Marylou, Norma and I started seeing each other. We would take day trips to different places. Then one we decided to go to Cuba and we had two friend that wanted to go to so off we went. After that we thought we would go and see Gary. We traveled to Nashville went to the grand ole opry. After that we headed west we seen Elvis Presley place, then over to Loretta Lynne ranch we kept on going west we seen a lot of country. We stopped at Mount Rushmore that was something to see.

We decided to head for Gary it was a long drive and we enjoyed the view  there. We stayed there a week and had a great time Belle drove and we traveled and seen a lot of interesting things the week was over and we headed for home.

Norma and I decided to get married and thought we would have a private wedding in our apartment with Serina and Blaine for attendants. The families thought we were having a Christmas dinner but it was a wedding dinner, everyone had a good time.

We loved traveling and chatting with our traveling friends. We also went to the Dominican Republic and enjoyed the trip. The following year we went with a group to Panama. Our plans also included a trip to the Maritimes but Rogers health was not very good and decided to cancel.

 I affiliated with Royal Arthur Masonic Lodge in Peterborough and they nominated me for Grand Senior Warden and I was elected for all of Ontario. Norma and I had a great time traveling all over Ontario doing my duties with the Masonic Lodge. 

We are healthy, happy and enjoying life together at the age 82.

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