Shirley L. Carpenter Thompson

POLSON — Shirley L. Carpenter Thompson, 81, of Polson died on Friday, April 7, 2006, at St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan.

She was born May 18, 1924, in Vang, N.D., to Edgar and Ida Mostad, the oldest of 13 children. She remembered as a youngster rolling coins in the cracks of her grandparents' mercantile store watching them disappear. She also helped her mother raise her siblings. As she got older she took a cook car with a friend following the harvesters from farm to farm.

Shirley married Leonard Carpenter Jan. 7, 1944, in Colorado, and to this union six children were born; Gary, Norm, Steve, Leona, Kevin and Darla. She and Leonard divorced in 1963.

Shirley held various jobs including 1950 working at Ben Franklin Store in Polson and 1958 she worked for her brother Chub Mostad at Valley Furniture.

She moved to Missoula in 1963 for two years then back to Polson in 1965, were she worked for a small cafe.

In 1967 she was a bookkeeper for a construction company, and in 1979 she started work at 4 B's in Polson, retiring from there in 1984.

On Nov. 17, 1984, she married Carroll Thompson at her home in Polson. They spent a few winters in Mesa, Ariz.

Her husband, parents, four brothers and a sister preceded her in death.

Shirley is survived by her four sons, Gary Carpenter of Be'Kec'saba, Hungary, Norman (Joanne) Carpenter of Butler, Pa., Steve (Linda) Carpenter of Soldotna, Alaska, Kevin (Warni) Carpenter of Soldotna; two daughters, Leona (Vern) Frisk of Pablo, and Darla (Gary) Hand of Bonner; brothers Leland (Arlene) Mostad of Mandan, N.D., Warner (Carol) Mostad of Brookings, S.D., Arvid (Shirley) Mostad of Oak Harbor, Wash., Elroy (Liz) Mostad of Spokane; sisters, Helga Martin of Plains, and Darlene (Raymond) Tarin of Los Angeles; 17 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great- grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Shirley was able to live in her own home with the help of caregivers and family until December 2005. She loved her family especially "children."

She was known as "Old Grandma" by some of her great- grandchildren.

She loved her flower garden and the humming birds that flew in to visit. Everyone who knew her will dearly miss her.

Funeral services were held April 12 in the Grogan Funeral Home with the Rev. Rand Drollman officiating. Interment was in Lakeview Cemetery.

Condolences to the family may be emailed to www.groganfuneralhome.com