June Ecker Thompson

June Ecker Thompson, age 97, of Marshfield WI, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, October 2, 2020, at Stoney River Assisted Living, where she finally met her loving Savior.  She was born August 8, 1923 as Norma June Ecker in Pataskala, OH to James and Katherine (Oare) Ecker.  She graduated in 1941 from Summit Station High School in Pataskala, OH prior to attending the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, MN.

After a year of study at ABI, she moved to Madison, WI with a musical sextet (playing a trombone) to help launch Calvary Gospel Church, a new church start-up.  She met her husband, Vince, who was later to earn the title ‘1962 World Champion Cheddar CheeseMaker’, at a Youth For Christ meeting where he too played the trombone.  They were married March 20, 1948 in Madison, WI and set up residence in Arena, WI where Vince was employed at the Arena Co-op.

In 1954, they moved to Linden, Wisconsin where she and Vince presided for the next 19 years, moving to Upper Sandusky, OH in 1973 and finally to Marshfield, WI in 1975 where she lived until her passing.

June was an entertainer and the world was her stage.  Her loves were Jesus, family, friends and music.  She played the piano extremely well, being self-taught and with the ability to play by ear. If she could hear it, she could play it.  She was the main pianist at Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, WI, the Linden Primitive Methodist Church in Linden, WI, the Northridge Church in Marshfield, WI and anywhere else she could find a piano.

She played at conventions and even on board the SS Norway cruise ship.  She loved to ‘ham around’ with various gospel groups of the 60s and 70s: The Blackwood Brothers, Blackwood Singers, John Matthews Family, Good News Quartet, Andre Crouch and many others.

She was leader of the Choral Teens youth ensemble while in Linden in the 1960s, led another group in Upper Sandusky, OH and ultimately created the June Thompson Singers in Marshfield, WI.  She cut 2 records, performed for various events throughout mid-Wisconsin (including the Wisconsin State Fair) and in other surrounding states.

Her family will remember her as a loving wife and mother who was always ready to help someone in need and who loved the outdoors, in addition to her music, and her special fish pond.

Left to cherish her memory are her 4 children and many, many friends. Children: James (Elaine) Thompson, Patty Thompson, Mark (Kris) Thompson, Tim (Janelle) Thompson; 10 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Vince, in 2011 after 63 years of marriage.

A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for June 2021 in Marshfield, WI

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