Noel Thompson

Noel Thompson, age 77, of McIntosh, MN, passed away on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND. Family will greet friends to celebrate Noel’s life on Saturday, May 17th, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the McIntosh Community Center in McIntosh. Please join the family for a light lunch and visiting during these hours. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of McIntosh and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Noel Bruce Thompson (N.B.) was born on May 23, 1947, in Crookston, Minnesota to Lloyd and Jesse (Morgan) Thompson. He was baptized and confirmed in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McIntosh, Minnesota. He attended school in McIntosh and graduated in 1965. After graduating, Noel farmed with his dad until 1968. He decided to go to Alaska and he began working for Castle Excavating. In 1974, he began working for Alaska General at Prudhoe Bay. He returned to McIntosh in 1976 and married Karen Vennes in Scottsdale, Arizona. In 1978, Noel and Karen were divorced and in 1979 Noel purchased the A&W Drive Inn in Fosston, Minnesota and operated it until 1986. After he sold the A&W, Noel returned to Alaska and went to work for Taywood, Berg and Rydell on Amchitka Island as a truck driver through 1987.

Noel met Lillian (Burrell) Hall while working for Taywood, Berg and Rydell and they were married on April 12, 1990, in Anchorage, Alaska. Noel then went to work for Interstate Construction as a truck driver at Prudhoe Bay. One year while building an ice road on the ocean, his truck fell through the ice. After that experience, he gave up truck driving and became a Construction Supervisor for the Badami Project until British Petroleum shut down due to a low grade of oil in 1999. Noel and Lil moved back to the Thompson family farm in McIntosh.

In 2003, Noel wend to Sakhalin Island, Russia as a Construction Supervisor for Sakhalin Mornefte Montazh – Alaska Projects, a subsidiary of Alaska Interstate Construction. He then retired and returned to the farm.

Noel enjoyed keeping busy with the yard at the farm. Before Lil went into the nursing home they had a huge garden for many years. He also enjoyed restoring the old John Deere tractors left to him by his father with his friend, Lee Hartel. He enjoyed traveling. Two memorable trips were a cruise with his wife to Mexico and a trip to Norway and Germany in 2018 with his sister, Audrey.

Noel was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian, his parents, Lloyd and Jessie Thompson, his brother, Lyle Thompson, his sister, Wanda LaVoi, his nieces, Kimberly Thompson and Anna Abrahamson and Anna’s son, Justin Abrahamson, and a nephew Dan Thompson.

Noel is survived by his sister, Audrey Holm, and four nephews, Michael, Kent, and Lynn Johnson, Patrick Thompson, three nieces, Juanita Brown, Chris White and Kelly Philips, cousins, a step grandson, John Hall and a Goddaughter, Melissa Mancino.