Gary Elton Thompson, of Niles
Published 8:48 am Monday, October 15, 2018
Aug. 11, 1940 — Oct. 10, 2018
Gary Elton Thompson, 78, of Niles, died unexpectedly, early Thursday morning, Oct. 11, 2018 at his home following a brief illness.
He was born on Aug. 11, 1940, in Niles to Elton and Helen E. (Hardebeck) Thompson and attended Niles High School. He had been a truck driver most of his life, and for many years, he owned and operated his own steel hauling truck.
Gary Elton Thompson
Gary — known by many as “GT” — was an automobile enthusiast. He owned and drove a very high performance 1963 Chevrolet Corvette and was a member of the Coachman Auto Club. He enjoyed keeping all of his cars perfectly detailed, including a fresh application of tire gloss. That same attention to detail was evident in his lawn care and housekeeping. Gary was also a great fan of the athletic events at the University of Notre Dame and was a member of the Notre Dame Usher corps for several years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elton and Helen Thompson; and by his brother, Tommy Thompson.
Surviving family includes his children, Cheri (Dan) Kulwicki, Jr. of Three Rivers, Michigan and Craig (Michele) Thompson of Niles; grandchildren Daniel Kulwicki III, Christopher (Holly) Thompson, Krista Kulwicki, Ashlyn Thompson, Katie Kulwicki, and Ashlee Pellico; great-granddaughter, Olivia; Gary’s sister, Linda (Frank) Zavitz of Niles; a sister-in-law, Jan Thompson; many nieces and nephews; and a wonderful circle of great friends.
The funeral service for Gary Thompson will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main St. in Niles with the Rev. Jeffrey L. Whittaker of Michiana Christian Embassy officiating. Committal services will follow at Mission Hills.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday at the funeral home beginning at 11 a.m. Contributions in memory of Gary may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service, www.bccancerservice.org; or to the Brian Parker Memorial Foundation, brianparkerfoundation.com; or to the Milano’s Cancer Fund, 215 North 17th St., Niles, MI 49012. Online condolences may be left at halbritterwickens.com
