Harlan J. Thompson

Harlan J. Thompson, 90, of Grafton, ND passed away Thursday, January 4, 2024, in the Lutheran Sunset Home, Grafton, ND.

Harlan Jerome Thompson was born June 14,1933 in Grafton, ND, the son of Jerome and Anna (Egeland) Thompson. He graduated from Grafton High School in 1951. After high school Harlan began farming with his father until 1956 when the US Army drafted him for service in Germany.  He resumed farming when he returned in 1958.  Harlan married Ann Larson on February 4,1961 in Grafton, ND. They made their home near Grafton and raised their children, Carol and Michael. Harlan enjoyed a successful farming career with his brother Richard. Harlan also served on many boards including; Walsh Rural Water, Associated Potato Growers, Grafton Farmers Elevator and the Grafton Community Scale.

In 1989, Harlan and Ann moved into town (Grafton, ND).  Ann and Harlan spent over thirty years as “winter Texans” in the Alamo/Harlingen Texas area, gaining many friends from all over the United States and Canada.  They enjoyed extensive travel and may have ended up at a few casinos over the years.  Harlan began making beautiful pieces of furniture in the late 1980’s and was even making pieces this past summer.  Harlan never really retired from farming, he was available to pick up parts and transport people from field to field up until a few months before he passed.

Harlan was a member of the Grafton Lutheran Church and involved in the Faith & Care ministry there.  He made wooden boxes to hold memorials for babies being baptized in the church. Harlan was a wonderful grandpa to his grandsons - Steven, Matthew, Jamie and Bryan; he enjoyed the time he spent with his two great-grandsons – Wyatt and Marshall Ebertowski.

Harlan is survived by his daughter Carol (Duane) Ebertowski and his son Michael (Cindy) Thompson, all of Grafton; grandchildren Steven (Nicole) Ebertowski, Aurora, CO; Matthew Ebertowski, Grafton, ND; Jamie (Jasmine) Arroyo, Tacoma, WA; and Bryan (Megan Bramble) Arroyo, Boise, ID. Great-grandsons, Wyatt and Marshall Ebertowski, Aurora, CO. He is also survived by his sisters Dorothy Johnson and Judy (George) Irvin.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann, on August 27, 2023; his parents; sister Clarice, brother Richard, sister-in-law Elaine Thompson, and brother-in-law Victor Johnson; brothers-in-law Francis, Roy, Dennis, Edward, Donald, Henry and Randy Larson; sisters-in-law, Joyce Mattson, Lois Chounard and Eileen Siewert.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 12, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Grafton Lutheran Church in Grafton, ND.  Visitation will be on Thursday, January 11, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton.  Friends may call at the church for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Grafton Lutheran Cemetery in the spring.  Memorials in honor of Harlan may be given to the Unity Hospital Foundation, Lutheran Sunset Home or Hospice of the Red River Valley. The funeral service will be live streamed via the Grafton Lutheran Church Facebook page.