Edra Earleen Thompson

With love and our hearts filled with gratitude, we will be celebrating the life of Edra E. Thompson. Edra passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. Edra was born 91 years ago on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1926 in Clovis, New Mexico. Her parents were the late Clarence and Gertie Ford. Edra spent most of her youth in the Colcord, OK area.
During World War II, Edra worked at the Harris Defense Plant in Stockton, California upholstering military jeeps for the U.S. Army. When the war was over, Edra and her family moved back to Colcord, OK at the end of 1945. Wade L. Thompson was discharged from the Army Air Force in April 1946 and he too returned to Colcord, OK. Their paths crossed again at a community picnic at the end of July 1946. So after a brief two and a half month courtship, Edra Earleen Ford and Wade Lee Thompson were married in Anderson, MO, on October 12, 1946. They shared 66 wonderful years together before his passing on October 17, 2012.
In 1951, Edra and Wade moved to Claremore, OK. Edra has called Claremore her home for the past 66 years. During that time Edra raised four children, worked as a school secretary at Verdigris, two years at TG&Y, then as a bookkeeper at Milner Office Supply for Max Milner for over 20 years until its closing in 1993. Edra attended the First United Methodist Church of Claremore.
Edra was an avid basketball fan, was an accomplished seamstress, loved working in her yard and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Edra is survived by her four children: Cleve Thompson of Langley, OK, Curtis and Karen Thompson of Tulsa, OK, Karen and Doug Story of O’Fallon, IL, and Judy and Larry Penner of Wagoner, OK. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Trent (Niki) Thompson of Monet, MO, Michelle (Dan) Kohl of Lincoln, NE, Sean (Susan) Thompson of Belton, MO, Ryan (Dawn) Thompson of Rogers, AR, Sommer (Brandon) Schwin of Aurora, MO, Kristal Story of O’Fallon, IL, Todd Penner of London, UK, and Joel Penner of Dallas, TX plus 14 great-grandchildren.
Edra is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, brothers Carson and Ray, daughter-in-law Sherrie, and grandchildren Silver and Kyle.
We will be celebrating Edra’s life with a visitation at MMS-Payne Funeral Home from 4-6 on Sunday, March 19, 2017. Funeral Service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Claremore at 11:00 Monday, March 20, 2017 with burial following at Woodlawn Cemetery.