Barbara Thompson

Barbara May Carr was born to Gladys and Samuel Carr on Oct. 29, 1924, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Barbara’s formative years were spent with the Greendale Avenue kids during the Depression. Oh, the stories! It was at the age of 9 that she met her future husband, Eric E. Thompson Jr. She excelled in academics and loved sports and outdoor activities. Spending summer days at Webster Lake with family was her favorite pastime, as well as watching her father coach baseball and attending semi-pro ballgames with her mother.

Barbara graduated from North High and led her field hockey team to the city championship game as an All City forward. She was the first in her family to attend college and graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1942 with a BA in Biological Science/Pre-Med. Continuing her passion to learn, Barbara became a graduate research assistant at Boston University, doing successful research on coagulase, commercializing blood typing and sharing an office with Isaac Asimov. Devotedly writing letters to Eric during wartime led to their marriage on Aug. 25, 1951. She became a research assistant at Yale University while Eric attended grad school. A year later, eight months pregnant, Barbara and Eric headed west to Bismarck, North Dakota, where Eric began his professional geologic career with Stanolind Oil. Enduring multiple transfers between oil boom towns Bismarck and Billings, the Thompsons decided Billings would be home.

In 1963, Barbara began working at Deaconess Hospital in the Pathology Lab. Recognizing her abilities, doctors utilized her skillset and she became instrumental in creating the first BacT Lab and became Deaconess’ first bacteriologist. She was renowned for her expertise, reliability and efficiency.

Always taking care of the needs of her family first, she also found time for other adventures. She was active in her church, Petroleum Wives, DAR, Little League, Girl Scouts and numerous other organizations. Need help … there was Barbara. Her passions were bridge, knitting, genealogy, cross-stitch, antique collecting and bowling. Barbara was an avid sports fan. Win or lose, she loved her Red Sox and Celtics. Most of all, Barbara loved being around people and just talking with them. She made friends wherever she went.

Family meant everything to Barbara. She was devoted to Eric for 66 years of marriage before Eric’s passing and took great pride raising two children, Jan and Brad. She treasured her time with her four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Barbara lived a life full of passion and dedicated all her love and being to her family. It was a life well lived.

Barbara is predeceased by her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Jan Thompson of Kennewick, Washington; her son, Braden (Allison) of Edmond, Oklahoma; grandchildren Chad Nicley of Kennewick, Cari Tobias (Gerald) of Pasco, Washington, Hunter Thompson of Los Angeles, Logan Thompson of Edmond; three great-grandchildren (Owen, Carter and Ashton); and angelic friend Lori Kraft and family, who were essential in Barbara’s late life care and well-being.

A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July 30, at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara Thompson, please visit our floral store.