# 1 - -Herman Record 2 June 1938

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Fatal Wreck Near Herman

In the demolished automobile wreckage, Leslie Thompson, 30, Blair dairy operator, lay fatally wounded early Tuesday after crashing into a stock truck on highway 73 between Herman and Blair. It took half an hour for rescuers to remove Thompson from the wreckage and he died hours later in an Omaha hospital.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson who farm between Herman and Blair. Funeral services are to be held in Blair Friday at 2 p.m. at the Methodist church.

# 2 - - Published in Pilot-Tribune, June 9, 1938

CRASH VICTIM BURIED FRIDAY

LESLIE THOMPSON, 30, IS BURIED AFTER SERVICES AT CHURCH HERE

Funeral services for Leslie B. Thompson, 30, owner of a Blair dairy, fatally injured last Tuesday in an automobile crash were held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Methodist church. Several hundred persons filled the church to overflowing.

The Rev. Ralph P. Rasmussen, pastor of the church, officiated. Pall-bearers were Clyde Aten, Peter Stricklett, Jr., Everett Lamb, J. Hilton Rhoades, Alfred Reeh and Earl Jensen. Interment was in Blair cemetery.

Mr. Thompson, who died Tuesday afternoon, a few hours after his automobile crashed headon into a truck that morning north of Blair, was born near Blair May 17, 1908. He was married May 20, 1928, to Ruth Compton, who preceded him in death, being fatally burned in a lamp explosion at their home in January, 1935.

He was graduated from Blair high school, later attending Dana College. He had been a member of the Methodist church since he was 13 years old, and recently had joined the Rotary club. He was owner of the Early Dawn dairy and for ten years had served as a substitute mail carrier on route 1.

Surviving are two daughters, Lila Jeanne, 9, and Peggy Ruth, 3 ½; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson; and a brother, Glenn.

# 3 - EARLY DAWN DAIRY TO CONTINUE HERE

Frank C. Thompson announces that the Early Dawn dairy, of which his son, Leslie, killed in an automobile crash last week, was owner, will be continued.

He said that the same staff will be retained, with headquarters at the Bohs grocery, and that the same service as in the past will be provided.

#4

Enterprise 2 Jan 1938

Leslie B. Thompson Killed In Car-Truck Crash

Collision Occurred Five Miles North of Blair Early Tuesday

OWNED LOCAL DAIRY

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(Photo with caption: Pictured above is the car of Leslie Thompson following the fatal accident early Tuesday morning. The car was telescoped by the terrific impact with the truck. It was taken to Art’s Auto Parts following the crash.

(Photo with caption: Above is the truck which figured in the crash. Note the front wheels which were completely sheared off.

Leslie B. Thompson, well known young Blair man and proprietor of the Early Dawn Dairy, of Blair, died at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in an Omaha hospital following an early morning car-truck crash on Highway 73 north of Blair. Two others were injured.

Cause of the accident has not been established, the survivors of the wreck stating that the Thompson car suddenly swerved into the path of the on-coming truck with great suddenness.

Leslie had risen shortly after 4:00 a.m., as had been his custom, and was on his way to Blair to take his early morning milk route when the accident occurred. He had resided for the past year at the home of his parents on a farm seven miles north of Blair.

But a few hundred feet from the home of his father-in-law, John Compton, the Thompson car collided in a near head-on collision with a north-bound stock truck driven by Art Lenig of Lyons. Riding with Lenig was Lawrence Stromquist, also of Lyons. The men were driving a borrowed truck owned by Casper Rief, of West Point, Nebraska.

Lenig and Stromquist both stated that for some unexplained reason, Thompson suddenly swerved his car into the path of the truck, bringing the two vehicles together with terrible impact. Thompson’s car was virtually torn to shreds as it was ground under the heavy truck body. The truck was stripped of its front wheels, axle, springs and steering apparatus. The truck rack was torn from the frame and the frame twisted beyond repair. It was overturned in the ditch. Its occupants were thrown out of the cabin in opposite directions, landing nearly 100 feet apart. They suffered severe cuts about the head and numerous body bruises.

The accident occurred less than 200 feet from the bridge on which Vic Williams lost his life a few months ago in a similar crash.

Thompson, in a semi-conscious condition was removed from his car after about twenty minutes work by five men. He was immediately taken to the Blair hospital where it was found that he suffered a broken leg, hip, arm, jaw and numerous internal injuries. He lost one ear in the crash.

After preliminary examination and care, Thompson was rushed to the Immanuel hospital in Omaha where he passed away shortly after two o’clock. The accident had occurred at about 5:30 a.m.

News of the accident was a great shock to Blair and Washington county as he was well known for his one-time prominence in 4-H club work and through his many business connections in the city. He was a quiet, conscientious worker with model habits and he had many friends here.

The deceased was born on the farm of his grandfather, just south of Blair, on May 17th, 1908, as the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson. At an early age his parents moved to the Abe Sutherland farm in the Sutherland school district west of Blair where he grew to early manhood. It was on this farm that he began his 4-H club work and for a time he was one of the youngest 4-H club members in Washington county. It was through this that he became interested in dairying which he later chose to become his life work.

After completing the grades of the Sutherland school, Leslie attended Blair High school from which he graduated in 1926. He later attended Dana college two years.

On May 20th, 1928 Leslie was united in marriage with Ruth Compton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Compton, near whose home he met his fatal accident. To this union two children were born, Lilah Jean, now aged 9 years, and Peggy Ruth, now 3 ½ years of age.

Mrs. Thompson met a very untimely and tragic death on January 4th, 1935 when she was fatally burned in an explosion of a gasoline lantern. The lantern, which she had purchased as a Christmas present for her husband, had been inadvertently placed upon a seldom used oil stove which had been lighted on the cold January morning.

Since the time of her death the two children have been cared for by the grandparents, Mrs. Frank Thompson and Mrs. John Compton, staying the larger part of the time at the Thompson home. For a time Leslie continued his dairy business with his residence in Blair but had been staying at the home of his parents for the past year.

Leslie is survived by his two children, a brother, Glen, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson.

Only recently he became a member of the Blair Rotary club. He was a member of the Methodist church of this city.

Funeral services will be held at the Methodist church tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at 2 p.m., with Rev. Ralph Rasmussen in charge. Pallbearers are young men who have been long-time close acquaintances during his school and business life in this vicinity.

He leaves a host of friends who greatly mourn his passing.

Another article

VICTIM’S WIFE KILLED IN 1935

Mrs. Leslie Thompson, wife of the Tuesday auto crash victim, also died a violent death being fatally burned by an exploding gasoline lamp at their farm home southwest of Blair he morning of January 6, 1935.

Her husband hurriedly threw blankets over her after the mishap and sped with her to the hospital, on the way meeting firemen who were rushing to his blazing home. Mrs. Thomson died two days later.

The former Ruth Compton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Compton, she was 26 years old at the time of her death and left two small children who now have no parents.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave Memorial # 76977838