Maze Cordell Thompson, 79, Fertile, MN passed away on Thursday, June 3, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family.
He was born to Hans and Mary (Rarick) Thompson on January 4, 1942, just yards from where he passed at the family farm in Woodside Township near Fertile. He was baptized and confirmed at Maple Bay Lutheran Church.
Maze attended Mentor School and then graduated from Fertile School in 1960. He continued his education at Moorhead State University but returned home to work the farm after his father’s passing.
On August 11, 1962, Maze was united in marriage to Arlys Killen at Moe Lutheran Church in Roseau, MN after meeting at the Fertile fair. They made their home at the farmstead in Maple Bay and were blessed with four children.
While farming, he also worked as the Postmaster in Fertile for several years. In 1981, Maze went to Alaska for work while his wife, Arlys, stayed behind to hold down the home front. He tried his hand at gold mining for a couple of years and later excelled at operating heavy equipment and as a foreman for Bristol Environmental. Working in Alaska gave him many opportunities to experience new things, such as, riding in a helicopter to a worksite on the side of a mountain, being flown out to an island where the equipment was brought out on a barge and Russia could be seen across the Bering Sea and halibut fishing with the Alaskan Natives. He continued to work in Alaska for 33 years where his wife joined him to live and they traveled back and forth between Minnesota and Alaska until his retirement in 2014. In 2016 Maze and Arlys moved into their new home built back on the farm where he always wanted to be. They were able to enjoy years of friends and family coming to visit and took immense joy in watching all the wildlife that was around them.
Over the years Maze enjoyed playing softball on the Maple Bay team, archery, fishing, hunting, photography, wood carving, and snowmobiling. He will be remembered for his quiet grace, his patience in teaching, his musical capabilities, and the funny songs he sang to his family through the years.
Maze is survived by his wife, Arlys of Maple Bay; two sons, David (Debi) Thompson of Roosevelt, MN, and Brent Thompson and significant other Danielle Rittenhouse of Red Lake Falls, MN; two daughters, Lauri Thompson of Remer, MN, and Nikole Thompson of Crookston, MN; ten grandchildren, Keith, Casandra, Tabitha, Mathias, Lexi, Sabrina, Elysa, Alexis, Michaela, and Rebecca; ten great-grandchildren, and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hans and Mary; parents-in-law, Tony and Laurine Killen; sisters, Junice (Don) Mulvaney, Vera Mae (Bill) Brunner, and Jeanette (Jerry) LaBarre; and brother, Herman (Camilla) Thompson.
Celebration of Life: 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Maple Bay Free Lutheran Church, Mentor, MN.
Visitation: One hour before the service at the church.
Please view our guestbook and share condolences online at www.eriksonvikfh.com
Arrangements with Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home
Fertile, Minnesota
