Ethelyn Thompson

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 10:30 AM at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE. Memorials are suggested to Sargent Community Foundation or Sargent Church of Christ. A visitation and time to greet the family will be held on Friday, December 19th, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Church of Christ in Sargent. Govier Brothers Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Online words of remembrance or condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com

Ethelyn Gertrude Thompson departed this earthly life at Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney, Nebraska, on December 4th at the age of 98 years.

Ethelyn was born on June 29th, 1927, in Lyman, Nebraska, to Clyde Wallace McCully and Sophie Katherine (Johansen) McCully, joining sister Mary and brother Joe.

Ethelyn attended grades K through 12 at Lyman, Nebraska. (At her high school reunion in 2023, she was the only surviving member of the class of 1945). Growing up she attended the Lyman Christian Church with her family, and it was during those early years that she began her lifelong journey of faith in Christ by being baptized into Christ.

After high school, she went to school to become a nurse, which she accomplished, but never put to use as a profession.

On November 12, 1947, she was married to Burdett Thompson at the Lyman Christian Church. To this marriage three children were born: Wesley, Geraldine (Geri), and Clyde.

For several years they lived on a ranch north of Thedford, Nebraska, and in fact along with baby Wes, they survived the “49 Blizzard.” Not long after that, they moved to a farm east of Weissert, Nebraska, where Geri, and later, Clyde, were born.

They moved to a farm west and south of Comstock. After several dry years in Custer County, they moved to Yoder, Wyoming, where there was irrigation. There were a couple of moves in the Panhandle of Nebraska, where they farmed north of Minatare and Scottsbluff.

After a couple of years of bad hailstorms, they moved the family to a ranch in Sherman County, south of North Loup, Nebraska.

Then, in the late 60s they had the opportunity to purchase a farm/ranch in the Dry Valley Community, south of Sargent, Nebraska, where they made their home until their final move to the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in mid-2019.

When the family lived in the Scottsbluff area, Ethelyn began working outside the home in the office of Associated Grocers.

After the move to Dry Valley, she worked in Sargent at the hospital and later at the Sargent Nursing Home. In 1977, she began a 17-year career at the Broken Bow branch of the ASCS (now FSA).

Ethelyn touched many lives during her 98 years, some through her work environments; some through the Sunday School and VBS classes she loved to teach, as well as other involvement in the Sargent Church of Christ and the Ansley Christian Church; some in her avid involvement in the Dry Valley Quilting Club; others in her various capacities in PEO. At the VA, Ethelyn impacted many new members by welcoming them to their new environment and encouraging them to get involved by inviting them to play Mexican Train dominoes, work on jig-saw puzzles, go to Bingo, or accompany a group to church services. Ethelyn also enjoyed gardening, especially her rose bushes and her rhubarb patch, and she was especially proud of her orchard, often generous in sharing the apples and pears.

She loved her kids and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Ethelyn was a survivor of both polio in her teens and later of breast cancer.

Ethelyn is survived by children: Wes (Betty) of Sargent; Clyde (Lisa) of Comstock; Douglas (Kathy) Porter of Lincoln.

Grandchildren: Molly (Brett) Sholes, Merrit (Jerusha) Thompson, Sheila (Eric) Gruber, Stacy (Mike) Hatten, Serena Porter, Kelsey Schultz, Troy Hosek, Michelle Copley and Haley (Nathen) Peters. Great-Grandchildren: Savannah, Spencer, Amara (Parker), Josiah, Emily, Kennedy, Creed, Cai, Carsyn, Vienna, Eli, Amber (Seth), Daemyon, Hana, September, James, Mamusha, DeAngelo (MiKayla), Kiani, Mia, Aspyn.Great-Great Grandchildren: Maddox, Knox, Lyric, Christian, Finn.

As well as a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Ethelyn was preceded in death by: her parents Clyde and Sophie McCully, husband Burdett, sister Mary Harmon, brother Joe McCully, sisters-in-law Thelma and Sharon McCully, daughter Geri Porter, grandson Leonard Austin Thompson and great-great grandson Jaxon Schultz.

She will truly be missed.

Memorials are suggested to Sargent Community Foundation or Sargent Church of Christ.