Lenora (Petersen) Thompson

Lenora (Petersen) Thompson, 90, a long-time resident of the Northfield area, passed surrounded by
family on July 22, 2023, in Wells, MN at The Shepherd’s Inn Assisted Living where she spent the final
year of her life receiving exceptional care.
Lenora was born in the beautiful Cache Valley of northern Utah and grew up on a cattle and dairy farm
doing all the chores a farm girl must do to help keep the operation running. She helped her mother with
a big garden and with tending the chickens as well. Many people complain of having had to walk miles
to school in the snow, uphill both ways, but Lenora delighted in going to school in the winter when she
could ice skate 2 miles each way on the connecting waterway. Once out of school, Lenora headed for
the big city (San Francisco) to pursue her dream of being a singer and model. While that dream was not
realized, music and singing always remained a central part of her life.
Lenora went back to Utah where she met and married Warren Thompson, with whom she had 6
children before they divorced in the 1990s. Warren was from Minnesota and it was primarily here that
they raised their brood. They ran a restaurant together in their early marriage in Sandy, Utah, then ran a
restaurant together in their later marriage in Nerstrand, MN. Once that was done, Lenora lived and
worked in Northfield at the Laura Baker School until her retirement at age 75. She cooked and catered
for the multiple entities served by the school. Lenora loved cooking for others and was very good at it,
but loathed cooking for herself so survived for many years on microwaveable entrees, bagged salads
and Haagen-Dazs ice cream.
When she became unable to live independently, Lenora moved to Wells, MN, to the Shepherd’s Inn
Assisted Living and truly enjoyed the care provided by the staff who treated her like a queen in her final
days. Ice cream was always available.
Lenora is survived by her children, Roanna (Randy) Vine, Kevin (Dennie) Thompson, Kaylene Marks,
Steve (Gerise) Thompson, Troy (Heather Tilghman) Thompson, Melanie (Craig Erpestad) Thompson, and
by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her entire family being
the youngest of 11 and the last to pass. Lenora was fiercely independent, witty and loving and will be
sorely missed by her family.
A Celebration of Life will be held 12:00 PM on Wednesday August 2nd at Mahn Family Funeral Home -
Rochester Chapel.  Visitation will be from 11:30 AM until the start of the service. More info at
www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Lenora-Thompson. Memorials preferred to The
Shepherd’s Inn Assisted Living in Wells, MN.