Kathy Thompson

It is with deep sadness we are sharing the passing of the most beautiful soul, Kathy Thompson. She peacefully gained her angel wings at her home on March 19, 2025, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. She stayed strong and positive through her whole journey, never letting her diagnosis slow her down. She is a true warrior!

Kathy was born on April 25, 1959, in Milwaukee, WI to Bill and Pat Kornreich.

As a child, Kathy enjoyed many summers spent on the farm with her grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Phillips, WI. She moved around a lot as a child, even calling Rogers City home for a few years in early childhood. Her family eventually settled in the Stevensville, MI area where Kathy graduated high school in 1977. She was active in sports and enjoyed the outdoors with all her friends.
Kathy then chose to further her education at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, MI. It was there, she met the love of her life, Steve Thompson. They were married on March 12, 1983. After living in Baton Rouge, LA for 1 1⁄2 years, they moved back to Traverse City, MI where they had their first child, Jessica, in 1986. In 1989, they decided to call Rogers City home. Their son, Tyler, was born in 1990, exactly one year after they moved to Rogers City. Kathy was very active in her community, volunteering at Seconds On Third and Renewed Blessings. Together with Steve, and other community members, she enjoyed spending her Friday afternoons in the summer helping serve hot dogs for the Friends Together Fundraiser. She spent countless hours as a parent volunteer at St. John’s Lutheran School where Jess and Tyler attended during their elementary school years. Kathy was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary. Kathy was a social butterfly. She loved to see her friends for their weekly “AA” (attitude adjustment) dates at the servicemen’s club. Kathy and Steve have also been vigilant volunteers at the Courtesy Club food pantry for numerous years. Kathy was a huge boat nerd, especially throughout Steve’s career sailing on the freighters on the Great Lakes. Kathy’s favorite way to vacation was to take trips with him, until he retired as Chief Engineer, after sailing for 35 years, in 2017. She would even take the kids out of school to chase the boat to see daddy if it was coming into a port close enough. She was always up for an adventure to Sault Ste. Marie to watch the boats go through the locks. Kathy’s greatest joy in life was her grandchildren! She lived for summers spent at the “purple house” on Black Lake. She and the grandkids would walk up and down the beach collecting rocks, shells, beach glass and whatever other little treasures they could find. She loved watching the kids play in the water and in the sand. Known affectionately as Nonna, she was so loved by her grandkids. She was the best kid swing pusher, loved to read stories to them, and to play Barbies and babies. Nothing brought her more happiness than being around her grandkids.

Carrying on her love for life is Steve, her husband of 42 years and her two children Jessica (Justin) Miller and Tyler (Rachel) Thompson, grandkids Alexzandra, Ayden, Ashten, Masen, Jack, Maddie and Everly. She will also be profoundly missed by her mother-in-law Ada Thompson, Sister Debbie, sister-in-law Kerry (George) Babion, brother-in-law Eric Thompson, 2 half-sisters, a half-brother and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews and many friends.

Kathy entered in to rest and found eternal peace alongside her grandparents, her mother Pat, father Bill, beloved father-in-law Jack and niece Rachel.

We have all felt great sadness and immense grief for the loss of Kathy, but that’s not what she wanted for any of us. In lieu of traditional mourning, Kathy requested we celebrate her remarkable love for life. We will be having a celebration of life this summer with details on the
date, time and location to be announced in the coming weeks.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Friends Together Alpena or Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum.

Arrangements are in care of the Beck Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be addressed through www.beckfuneralhome.org