William P. “Bill” Thompson, 94 of Sioux City died on Sunday, April 5, 2026. A memorial service will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday April 11, 2026 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1200 Douglas Street in Sioux City.

Bill was born April 8, 1931 to James Riley and Elma Faye (Paradise) Thompson in Pueblo, Colorado. During his early years he moved frequently with his parents throughout the Midwest, including stays in Missouri, Oklahoma and Louisiana. In 1946 he moved with his mother and two sisters to Baldwin, Kansas and graduated from Baldwin High School in 1951. After attending one year at Baker University in Baldwin, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He served in several capacities primarily as a cryptographer. He was honorably discharged in 1956 and resumed his college education, graduating in 1959 with a B.A. Degree in Education and Psychology.

In 1958 he met the love of his life, Marilyn, and was married in 1959 in Olathe, Kansas.

Bill held several teaching positions in Kansas, including Overbrook, Prairie View and Phillipsburg. In 1961 he received his Master of Science Degree in Psychology from Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University). He also took graduate courses at Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg, Kansas University and Colorado State College (now University of Northern Colorado). He was a counselor and school psychologist in the Hugoton, Kansas School System before transferring to the Liberal, Kansas School System where he was employed for five years.

While in Liberal, he became active in the community where he was a member of the Kiwanis Club, was an officer in the Seward County Mental Health Association, President of the Education Association and was a lay reader in the Episcopal Church, and taught part time in the Community College.

In 1970 he moved to lowa and assumed school psychology responsibilities in the Woodbury County System that later became the Northwestern Area Education Agency. He retired in 2006. While employed in the system he held part time positions, including instructing at Morningside College and WITCC and for nine years was Consulting Psychologist to the Chemical Dependency Unit at St. Vincent Hospital in Sioux City.

In the Episcopal Church, he served as a Lector for nearly forty years, served on the Vestry at both Calvary and St. Thomas in Sioux City and was an officiant at several area Episcopal churches. At St. Thomas his ministries included usher, Altar Guild, Food Pantry, and Finance Committee.

He was a member and Board member of the Downtown Kiwanis Club, scout leader, Chairman of the Education Association on the Human Relation Committee, was a Past Master of Morningside Masonic Lodge in 1982, was a Past Patron of Morningside Rose Croix Chapter Order of the Eastern Star, was Chaplain for twenty-eight years for Morningside Masonic Lodge. He was appointed Grand Representative of Nova Scotia and Prince Edwards Island in 1998 and was appointed Grand Chaplain of the Order of Eastern Star in 2003.

He was a member of the Scottish Rite, York Rite College, The Abu Bekr Shrine, Hi-12 Club, York Rite Bodies and American Legion.

His hobbies included running when younger, walking when older, reading, especially History and most of all he was committed to his family and looked forward to many family gatherings, where he could more fully appreciate and enjoy them.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Marilyn; children, Joline, Sioux Falls, SD, John (Julie), Sioux City, and Janelle Lowden (James) Bastrop, Texas; grandchildren, Kevin Thompson, Ashton (Matt Hooper) Thompson, John Lewis and Marcus Lowden; and sister, Ann Corbett.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Virginia; and brothers-in-law, Ken and Dean.

Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charitable organization.