Donald Arthur Thompson

It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of an unconditionally loving husband and dad, Donald Arthur Thompson, 87, of Duluth. Don died peacefully on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital, with his wife and daughters by his side, after being diagnosed with myelofibrosis in October 2020, which progressed to AML this past fall. He was born in Duluth on June 10, 1937, to Hans & Mildred Thompson. He was a 1956 graduate of Denfeld High School and attended Duluth Vo-Tech where he earned his electrician’s license. Don married Diane Gunderson in Duluth on July 30, 1960, and worked a full career of 36 years as an electrician in Duluth for Commercial Electric, retiring at 59 in 1996. Don was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and the local IBEW Union #242. He was a jack-of-all-trades and master of “everything.”  Really, he was. No job was too big or too difficult for Donny to tackle. He was often sought out by friends and colleagues for his knowledge, expertise, and skills when they needed help fixing or building things or even making a special tool to get the job done. Many who worked with him respected his knowledge and skills and considered him one of the “greatest mechanical minds in Duluth that just aren’t made anymore.” But even with all his renowned expertise in almost everything, he remained ever humble, commenting often “but I guess, what do I know?” Don was a devoted provider, husband, and father to his family. He was so very proud of all his “girls,” often bragging to his friends about all the beautiful women he was surrounded by. His absence will be greatly felt by those who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Arlene Rapp. Don is survived by his wife, Diane; four daughters, Cynthia Thompson of Duluth, Christine (Mark) Masterson of Duluth, Deborah (Daniel) Leonard of Duluth, and Dayna (Steven) Schweiger of Esko; eight grandchildren, Jarrod Leiss, Katie (Lukas) Hassett, Matthew Leonard, Jacob Leonard, Chase Hoffman, Abby Hoffman, Madison Hoffman, and John Hoffman; two great-grandchildren, Maximus Hassett and Kyler Hassett; brother-in-laws, Burleigh Rapp and Herman Royseth; sister-in-law, Gail Gunderson; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. memorial service on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Williams-Lobermeier-Boettcher Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Animal Allies. Visit www.wlbfuneralhome.com to leave words of condolence.