MENDICANT -THOMPSONS DEPARTING CLEVELAND

Of all the good and faithful families who have left our ward in the recent general exodus, perhaps none have been harder to say goodby to than the Thompsons. The fact that Barry, Ellen and their children comprise nearly 10% of those leaving accounts for only part of the loss. For years now, there has been at least one Thompson featured in every youth activity, every derama or banquet or graduation, evey ward controversy, every issue of the Mendicant. Their departure has decimated the ranks of the MIA, Primary, the scouting program and the Relief Society Presidency. It has also left an empty place that members since cannot fill. The Thompsons served as unofficial Deans of the ward, and no one else can simply be called to take over in that capacity.

When Barry and Ellen moved to Clevalnd Heights 11 years ago, they were in their mid-thirties. They had seven children: Doug was only ten and Margaret Lynn was two months old. The others: Kathleen, Brad, Ginny, David and John ranged at predictable intervals in between. Martha was born two years later. They lived on Corydon in a big blue house later purchased by the (Bishop) Bulkleys. After three and a half years they moved on to the big rambling Tudor at 2945 Fairfax.

In those days there were just two Cleveland wards, Cleveland East and Cleveland West. "The building was up," Barry recalls. "We didn't help build it, but we got to help pay for it," The opportunity to help pay appears to have been ample and extended. It was almost a full year before the Cedar Road chapel was finally dedicated in May of 1970. The event was memorable, none the less. Prsident David O. McKay was here to dedicate our chapel.

There have been four prophets since then, and the Thompsons can remember three stake preidents (Squires, Anderson and Watts), and six bishops (Lee, Wyatt, Summers, Walborn, Bulkley and Clark), without having moved more tha a few blocks, they have lived in the Cleveland East Ward, the Cleveland III and the Cleveland II.

What else do they remember? The year they haunted their house for Halloween. "The pulley broke, and I had to lower Pete Gail through a trap door by hand." The year the whole family entered the Spring Sing and won (They sang about home storage). The year five Thompsons were in the cast of Saturday's Warrior. Doug played the heavy (pro-population control) very convincingly, while Ellen assured us repeatedly that he would have been "just as good in a righteous role." Martha stole the show as Emily.

Kathleen remembers decorating Bishop Walborn's house with almost a years supply of toilet paper. She also remembers some long sessions in the Bishop's office with MIA leadrs to "discuss" a not-so-voluntary MIA dress code." She and Brad and Ginny remember between them six youth conferences.

The family has made a seminary film at the Kirtland stone quarry with "dubbed in Utah drawls." They also appeared together in a stake musical entitled "A Family Affair." There have been countless road shows, programs and major productions, and every year on the Fourth of July was Thompson family flag raising ceremony.

Cleveland has been the scene of many family milestones for the Thompsons. It was here that 7 of the children were baptized, 4 received the Priesthood, 3 graduated from high school and one left on a mission. It was here that Doug discovered his testimony; Margaret, her music; and Ginny a knack for scholarship; it was here that Kathleen discovered Travis; and it was here that Ellen found NATURAL foods.

To say that they will be missed is, of course, understatement. How can you replace, not just the sheer quantity of their numbers and talents, but the quality and dedication of their service as well? During their tenure here, Barry and Ellen have served at both the ward and stake level in virtually every auxiliary and almost every capacity imaginable. Many of the children have been class leaders as well.

"What wil you miss?" I asked them. "The trees", "the PEOPLE", "This house", "An attitude of tolerance and acceptance here that I don't expect to find just anywhere", Ginny remarked. "A firmness and a sense of strength, " added Barry. "I think the weather here builds character." (It certainly ought to build somthing!) "The melting pot atmosphere," added Brad, "I like that." "We'll miss the Mormon history areas like Kirtland and Johnson Farm." And they'll miss Second Ward.

The Thompsons have been happy here. "It is hard to leave, " they assured me. Perhaps it's eleven years of a life that is hard to interrupt, or perhaps it's just the way the Thompsons have learned to live no matter where they are. Maybe it's literally throwing yourself and your time and your abilities into your ward and into your community that makes memories worth hanging on to and friends who are hard to leave. Becky Chandler