Pat lived on a farm near Kramer, NE with her parents and two sisters. She attended a parochial school, near Kramer through 8th grade, then graduated from Crete High School in 1957.
Pat married Robert (Bob) Armstrong in 1960, and they were the parents of Angela Renee (1961), Robert Galen (1963) and Michael Doon (1970).
Pat worked for Sack Lumber Company in Crete until their move to Valley, NE for Bob’s teaching job. She worked on one of the first bookkeeping machines ever manufactured and could do the books for 10 lumber yards on that machine.
The move to Valley took Pat to work at Table Supply Meat Company as a private secretary for the owner and three sons. She remembered taking shorthand an entire day to write President Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth, thanking them for their orders. The business is now Omaha Steaks.
Another teaching job took the family to Bassett, NE. Pat then worked for Farmers Lumber as a bookkeeper and secretary. When it sold, she worked as a secretary and income tax preparer for attorney Harold Allen. After he retired, she opened Armstrong Agency, preparing income tax returns and obtaining her real estate and insurance licenses, operating the business until retirement. Her success in the business gave her the opportunity to join the Realtors Land Institute, where she served as a board member for several years. She was also an elected official with the Insurance Agents of Nebraska.
Pat married Tom Thompson on November 19, 1982, by the Justice of the Peace in Madison, NE. They celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary this past November and Tom was definitely the love of her life. They were both very active in the community. One of their biggest challenges was co-chairing the Cattle Baron’s Ball, held at the Meeks Ranch, south of Bassett in June of 1993. It took an entire year to organize the event, but it raised tens of thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society. Pat and Tom were also chairs of the Rock County Centennial which was held in the summer of 1988.
One of her greatest joys was being a Girl Scout Leader. She organized many camps for the scouts and served on the State of Nebraska Board for many years. She was able to recruit her many friends to help keep Girl Scouts active in Bassett. In addition to Scouting, Pat was a TeamMates mentor in Lincoln for several years.
Pat and Tom were avid golfers. They were fortunate to play several courses in the United States, Ireland, Scotland, and Mexico. They also loved to travel and enjoyed cruising to many different countries.
Her greatest joys in life were their 5 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and her many friends, both near and far. She and Tom were very blessed with the love they shared for each other and their family.
Family members include her husband, Howard “Tom” Thompson; sons Robert Armstrong, Kearney, Michael (Roxann) Armstrong, Rockton, IL, and Troy (Nancy) Thompson, Bella Vista, AR; daughter Kimberly (Dale) Theisen, Lincoln; son-in-law Tom Dreher, Franklin, NE; 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren; sisters Betty Larsen, Omaha, and Kathy (Randy) Brolhorst, Lincoln; sister-in-law Niki (Jim) Strate, Orange, CA; nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by her parents, brother-in-law, Larry Larsen, and daughter Angela Dreher
Funeral Service: 2:30 pm Thursday, June 1, 2023, Sheridan Lutheran Church, 6955 Old Cheney Rd., Lincoln, NE.
Visitation with family present Wednesday, May 31, 2023, from 5-7 pm at Roper and Sons Midtown Chapel, 4300 ‘O’ St., Lincoln, NE.
Memorials to TeamMates Mentoring.