Dana S. Thompson
1911 – 2009
AUBURN — Dana Stevens Thompson, 97, of Schooner Estates, 200 Stetson Road, Auburn, died Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Hospice House of Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice.
He was born in Georgetown, Mass., Oct. 21, 1911, a son of the late William Harvey and Sadie Goodwin Thompson.
He attended the local schools and graduated from high school at the Perley Free School, Class of 1929, where he was a baseball pitcher and excelled in football, basketball and hockey. In 1936, he graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor of arts degree in industrial engineering.
In 1937, he married Alice Desjardins, his long time girlfriend, then moved to Maine that year coming to work for W.S. Libbey Co. They moved briefly in 1940 to Portsmouth, N.H., before returning to Lewiston as an accountant at Central Maine General Hospital in 1942.
Then in 1943, he took a leave of absence to join the Navy during World War II, where he was stationed mostly on the west coast and Falon, Nev. He served active duty until 1946 when he returned to CMGH with the rank of lieutenant, senior grade.
In 1951, he became the executor director of CMGH. He was active in the Maine Hospital Association, New England Hospital Assembly, Hospital Superintendents Club, American Hospital Association and Board of Directors of Maine Blue Cross.
In September 1975, the Dana S. Thompson Wing was dedicated to him, while he was still employed there. In 1976, he retired from Central Maine Medical Center (formerly CMGH). His wife Alice of 39 years passed away six days later.
He then married a retired pediatrician, named Marguerite Bergsjo, with whom he enjoyed 23 years of marriage. They lived in Florida, enjoying golf, bridge, dancing and driving ambulances. After her death, he moved up to Maine to be with his remaining family for the last four years of his life.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating, swimming, photography and sailing. He especially enjoyed sailing his O’day Osprey sloop which he raced on weekends on Lake Thompson. He was active on the Thompson Lake Environmental Association, collecting water samples in his earlier years.
He developed a wonderful relationship with his children and grandchildren. He loved to spend time reading books or telling stories, playing checkers, golfing, taking them waterskiing and snowskiing. He had a wonderful wit, covered with smiles and winks, making each child wanting to come back time and again.
He was an avid fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and the Boston Red Sox with a special love for Jon Papelbon.
He is survived by his daughters, Janice Jacques and husband, Robert, of Auburn and Deborah Hurst and husband, Larry, of California; his grandchildren, Sare Largay, Owen Thompson, Robert O. Jacques and wife Laura, Evan (Max) Thompson and wife, Kristina, Heidi, Kevin and Laura Hurst; his great-grandchildren, Alex Thompson, Colton Largay, Jack Thompson, Brooks Largay, Penelope Jacques and Alden Dana Largay; stepson, James Schuyler and wife, Kathryn, of California; stepdaughter, Nancy Spicuzza and husband, Jack, of Wisconsin; stepgranddaughters, Jen Pfannerstill and husband, Noel, Sara Gardner and husband, Greg, Amy Burger and husband, Shawn and Maria Spicuzza; stepgrandsons, Aaron and Gabriel Schulyer; stepgreat-grandchildren, Kali and Meg Pfannerstill, Jon Eichman, Samantha Gardner, Isabella and Sophia Burger.
He was also predeceased by his sons, Gary Evan Thompson in 2003 and Steven Dana Thompson in 2007; three sisters, Olive Richards, Althea Coates and Hazel Dibiaso; his four brothers, Arthur, Kenneth, Hollis and Jeffrey.
The family sends special thanks to doctors Michael Rifkin, Dr. Roger Austin, the staff at Schooner Estates, The Androscoggin Home and Hospice Facility, nurses, Margaret, Oralie and Caryn.
The family wishes a very special thank-you to his CNA Stefaney Bachelder, who supported him to the very last hours of his life and Anita White who has been a loving support to the family throughout the many years.