Johanna I. (Barchenger) Thompson

Johanna Thompson, age 98 of Glenwood, and formerly of Brooten, died Thursday, October 12, 2023 at Glenwood Retirement Village. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, November 13th at Big Grove Lutheran Church in rural Brooten/Belgrade. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the church cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. 

Johanna Ida Thompson was born on March 13, 1925, to parents Henry and Frieda (Schroeder) Barchenger in Raymond Township, Stearns County, Minnesota. Her early years were spent on the family farm with her parents and six siblings. She attended a local country school near Sauk Centre and Zion Lutheran Church. As a young woman, she moved to Minneapolis to work for a few years before her marriage to Raynard Clifford Thompson on October 5, 1947, at Big Grove Lutheran Church in Belgrade. They made their home on a farm northeast of Brooten until 1981, when they moved into town. Their union was blessed with four children, Beverly, Joan, Susan, and Allan.

Johanna was a homemaker and a dedicated partner on the farm to her husband. Her work, however, extended far beyond the boundaries of her home and farm. She was an active member of her community, serving as a Sunday school teacher for many years at Big Grove Lutheran Church, where she and Raynard were members, and participating in the ladies' aid. Her passion for service led her to help organize the BBE food shelf, where she worked for several years. Johanna was also a proud member of the North Fork Homemakers Club.

A woman of many interests, Johanna kept herself busy and her spirit vibrant. She and Ray loved to travel and the pair made several trips to Alaska to visit their daughters. She enjoyed playing cards with friends and was an accomplished quilter. It was also no secret to those who knew her that she was a devoted fan of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. On the rare occasion when both teams played simultaneously, it caused quite the dilemma for Johanna.

Johanna passed away peacefully, on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at Glenwood Retirement Village at the age of 98. The life of Johanna Ida Thompson was a testament to the beauty of passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. Her memory will forever remain in the hearts of those she loved and those who loved her. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire and guide those she left behind.

Johanna is survived by her children, Beverly (Mike Gephardt) Eniex of Gustavus, AK, Joan (Glenn Miller) Thompson of Green Valley, AZ, Susan Thompson of Superior, WI, and Allan (Debbie) Thompson of Lavina, MT; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her beloved husband, Raynard, who passed away in December of 2006; five brothers, Bob, Ray, Elmer, William, and Henry, Jr.; two sisters, Luella, in infancy, and Louise Poock; two nieces and one nephew; and her son-in-law, Stew Eniex.

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