Gertrude Thompson

Feb. 20, 1931 - April 9, 2023

On Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend Gertrude Alexander Thompson passed away following a stroke.

She was born in 1931 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri to John Willis Alexander and Myra Blanche (Stokely) Alexander of Williamsville Missouri.

She is survived by her husband G.B.; sons Mark, Matt, and Dan; their wives Patty, Janet, and Becky; and grandchildren Blake, Kate, Abby, Will, Luke, and Finn. Gertrude was predeceased by her parents and their newborn son, her brother.

Her career was marked by a devotion to higher education and to bringing the fruits of those institutions to the communities around them. While in the State Extension Service, she met G.B.; two years later, they were married in the chapel of Missouri United Methodist Church. Their love proved timeless–they held hands together every night right up to the end.

She was tirelessly dedicated to the people and causes she cared for: her friends, her church, the arts, Rotary, and of course the Mizzou Tigers. But none more than her family, whom she surrounded with affection, support, and the respect to disagree without condemnation. As her children married and had children of their own, she greeted each new family member with love and genuine glee.

A memorial service was held at Missouri United Methodist Church in Columbia, Missouri Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Arrangements under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory, 12 East Ash Street, Columbia, MO 65203 (573) 449-4153. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.parkermillard.com.