Services for Marilyn Manton Thompson, 63, Ada, are 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church, Rev. Vicki Crooks will officiate.
Mrs. Thompson died Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at her home of a rare neurological disease. She was born April 30, 1947 in Fort Worth, Texas, to Fred and Katherine Adams Manton and grew up in Tulsa.
She married William E. Thompson, the love of her life on March 23, 1968. After graduating from the University of Tulsa, she and Bill came to Ada where Marilyn began the first kindergarten program for Latta Schools. She started a family and later worked for many years at the Thompson Agency, which she and Bill owned.
Marilyn served as National Media Director of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. for eighteen years, and concurrently was National Group Training Director beginning in 2005. For many years she was top producer for group sales for Pre-Paid Legal in Oklahoma and one of the top producers nationally. Due to her disease, she retired from Pre-Paid in July 2009.
Earlier, Marilyn was active in the Salvation Army Ladies Auxiliary, was co-chairman of the capital campaign for the new Valley View Regional Hospital, and was active for many years in fund raising for the Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). She served as a member of the first board of directors of Pontotoc Technology Center, was on the boards of the Ada City Schools Foundation and the Ada Chamber of Commerce, and was in a class of Leadership Ada. At the time of her death she served as an Elder of the First Christian Church, Ada. She loved to travel; she and Bill had visited many wonderful places during their marriage.
She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Bill Thompson, of the home; two sons, Jeff Thompson and wife Michelle and Ryan Thompson and wife Lori, both of Dallas; a sister, Carol Pohly, Berthoud, CO; and a cousin, Ann Adams Dotson, Ada. A shining star in the last difficult months of her life was her new grandson, Jack, who was born in September 2009. She also leaves behind girls Katie and Sophie, two of a long line of dogs that have blessed her life and been part of her family.
The family says in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to PAWS, 1200 Sandy Creek Drive, Ada, OK 74820 or the outreach program of the First Christian Church, 101 E. 13th, Ada, OK 74820.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada