Maureen Becht Thompson

Maureen Becht

Thompson

Maureen Becht Thompson, a mother, grandmother, registered nurse, community organizer and wife of 62 years to Dr. Norman Thompson, died Friday, June 7 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle.

Born Nov. 15, 1930 in Ontonagon, Mich. to Hazel and Al Becht, she graduated as valedictorian of Bayfield High School in Bayfield, Wis. She attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she trained to be a registered nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital. She met her future husband at “Red Flannel Days” in Virginia, Minn. on a cold minus 20-degree evening. They were married Aug. 25, 1950 in Bayfield.

In 1954 they moved to Cheney. where she held various nursing positions: as a student health nurse at Eastern Washington University (then EWSC), as a nurse at Campus School, and as a private practice nurse to Dr. Randy Cain at the Cheney Clinic. In retirement, she and Norm enjoyed their cabin on Pinto Point at Priest Lake, Idaho.

In the 1960s she helped initiate and organize Spokane County’s first Planned Parenthood Clinic and its first chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. She was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi, and continued to enjoy getting together with her Beta group’s “Lunch Bunch.” “Reen” was a lively and gracious hostess, a wonderful cook, an exceptional knitter and an incredible mother and grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her son Jeffrey, and is survived by her husband Norm, son Eric (Jen), grandchildren Samuel and Margaret Thompson, daughter Betsy Scott (Bruce), grandchildren Linnea, Marja and Ian Scott; daughter Tracy Thompson (John Shupe) grandchildren Hayden and Graham Shupe.