- Date Of Birth: September 9, 1933
- Date Of Death: October 26, 2018
- State: Michigan
Mary “Denise” Thompson, age 85 of Midland passed away peacefully on Friday October 26, 2018 surrounded by her family at Woodland Hospice House in Mt. Pleasant. The daughter of the late Walter J. and Irma M. (Stutzer) Brunet, Denise was born in Detroit on September 9, 1933. On May 2, 1953 in East Tawas, Denise married Milo E. Thompson. They celebrated life together for 54 years.
Denise was a crossing guard for the City of Midland for 13 years, and later worked at Mid-Michigan Credit Control where she was known as “Red Rider.” She was a charter member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church where she and Milo led the first youth group. Over the years, Denise served the church in many capacities including: Chancel Choir Director, Organist, Bell Choir member and Prays Band Pianist. One youth member appropriately named her “The Rockin’ Grandma”. She retired from being Organist for a time, but soon found herself subbing for multiple area churches on Sunday mornings and after a few years break, was back at Aldersgate again as Organist until her health required her to officially retire in January of 2017.
She loved playing piano for Vacation Bible School each summer and was passionate about supporting the youth on their work camp missions. Outside of church, Denise was the staff organist for Wilson MILLER Funeral Home from 1996 – 2017. Denise was a life member of the Order of Eastern Star Midland Chapter #121, now aka Bay Chapter #219, and served as the Grand Organist for the Fitch-Peck Grand Family. She was an avid bowler where her team lovingly nicknamed her “DumDum” (because she always ate DumDum suckers while bowling)! Many an evening found Denise and husband Milo playing Pinnochle or Cribbage with the kids or family friends. Summers were spent camping at Tawas and cheering on her daughters’ softball endeavors (often coached by Milo) and rarely missed a school music concert. She was crazy about her grandsons supporting them in as many ways as she could. Before having their own children, Denise and Milo were foster parents to dozens of children for 8 years.
Surviving are her daughters Renee (Mark) Hahn of St. Louis, Mi., Tracey (Thomas) Birdsall of Midland; grandsons, Aaron (Kallei Mapes) Hahn of Alma, Kyle Hahn of Lexington Park, MD., and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, Denise was preceded in death by an infant son in 1962, sister Jeanne E. Curley, and nephews Kevin and Gerald Curley.
