ROUSES POINT, N.Y./BRISTOL — Martin Vesper Thompson, 79, shed his tired, mortal body and returned to his heavenly home on June 19, 2020, following a lingering illness.
Marty was born in Starksboro on March 21, 1941, to the late Nixon Thompson and Edna (Kimball) Thompson. He grew up with seven siblings on a large bucolic farm in the foothills of the Green Mountains at a time when teams of horses were used to gather sap, haul logs and plow and hay the fields. There, he learned the pride that came with a hard day’s work and developed a strong love and connection to the land and woods of his beloved state.
When Marty turned eight years old, he went to live with his Uncle Bub (Floyd) and his wife Aunt Sadie on their adjoining farm. Bub shared his love for hunting and fishing with his nephew, and they became life-long passions for Marty as well.
Marty attended one-room schoolhouses, first in Buels Gore and later in Jerusalem, until ninth grade when he entered Bristol High School. Marty was a good student and played on the school baseball team. He graduated Salutatorian of the Class of 1959. Following high school, he got a job in production control at Simmonds Precision in Vergennes.
In 1960, he married his high school sweetheart, Marielana (Tierney). Marty and Lana built a home and a wonderful life in Bristol that lasted for fifty-three years. They shared a love for traveling, walks on the beach, their church and community, sappy movies, square dancing, line dancing, time spent with their many close friends and extended family, but most dear to their hearts were their four children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
In 1963, Marty went to work at Polymers, Inc. in East Middlebury. He worked his way through a variety of positions, and became the company’s personnel manager in 1969. He also served as quality control and safety director until he left in 1995. In 1996, Marty began working at Middlebury College as Assistant Director of Human Resources. He retired from the college in 2002.
Marty served on the Mount Abraham Union High School District School Board as chairman. He was one of the first members of the Addison County Planning Commission and was one of the founders of the Vermont Personnel Administration. Marty always believed that giving back to a community that gave him so much, was very important.
Marty and Lana shared several years together in their retirement, until her sudden death in 2013. In 2015, Marty was blessed again to find a loving, devoted companion in Marsha Trombley Kuhn. Marty and Marsha shared a love for dining out, outdoor concerts, spending time with friends and family, and travel. They made a lovely home in Rouses Point, where they lived until Marty’s passing from complications of Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Marty had the soul of an artist. He loved photography and has left his family the never-ending gift of thousands of images to treasure always. He wrote poetry and beautiful, heart-felt letters. He was a craftsman — always building, repairing and tinkering. He took great joy in watching his St. Louis Cardinals, but discreetly admitted that The Boston Red Socks were his second-favorite team. His legendary “Dad” jokes were always told with a twinkle in his eye. He was very strong and steadfast, but cried easily and openly. His heart was big and open and his kindness was a gift given freely without any expectations.
Marty’s passing will leave a big hole in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, especially his loving family.
Marty is predeceased by his wife, Marielana; his parents, Nixon and Edna Thompson; his brothers Nixon, Charles, Norman and Winthrop Thompson; and his sisters Jackie Hallock, Alice Paya and Barbara Smith.
Marty is survived by his loving partner, Marsha Trombley Kuhn, of Rouses Point, N.Y.; his beloved children: daughter Stephanie and her husband Derek Larsen of Brandon; his sons Brett Thompson of Middlebury, Kyle and his wife Emilie Thompson of Burlington and Chris Thompson and his fiancée Julie Gibson of Groveland, Fla. He also leaves his cherished grandchildren: Hilary Hulst and her partner Dwayne Vukoder, Kaylin Thorpe and her husband Nathan, Cherish Hulst and her partner Nick Cook, Daniel Larsen, Chelsea Zuver and her husband Josh, Ryan Thompson and Nicholas Thompson. In addition Marty leaves his treasured great-grandchildren: Andrew Thorpe, Christopher White, Isabella Vukoder, Norah Cook and Evelyn Cook. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and cousins. He also left behind his constant companion, his cat Bailey.
A private graveside service will be held for family and a celebration of life will be held at a later date when we can gather in large numbers and hug one another.◊