Grace Luella Thompson, 100, died on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2006 at Naeve Hospital, Albert Lea. Funeral service will be on Monday, Feb. 13, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Northwood, Iowa, with the Rev. Wayne Hagen officiating. Burial will be in the Kensett Cemetery, Kensett, Iowa. Visitation will be on Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood, Iowa. Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home of Northwood is in charge of arrangements.

Grace Luella Thompson was born to Ole and Christine (Bergh) Thompson on Dec. 11, 1905 on a farm near Kensett, Iowa. She was baptized at home by the Rev. L. O. Pederson the same day she was born and confirmed by the Rev. Thor Sigmond at Bethany Lutheran Church, Kensett on July 6, 1919. Luella attended rural school for her first seven grades and often talked about the school programs and basket socials that she enjoyed so much. She then attended school in Northwood and completed her junior and senior years at Forest City where she graduated.

Luella was employed for ten years at the restaurant in Chester, Iowa that was owned by her brother Milton and wife Enid, and later by her brother Olaf and wife Venita. She worked at the Bowen Food Center in Forest City for a number of years and managed the Bowen Food Center in Northwood for ten years. After the store in Northwood was sold, she once again returned to the store in Forest City. After several years, Luella returned to Northwood to care for her aged mother. After her mother’s death, Luella was employed as a receptionist for Drs. Forland and Anderson from July 1870 until retiring March 9, 1988 at the age of 83. In 1996, she moved to the Knutson Place apartments in Albert Lea.

Luella loved to work and enjoyed all the friends she had made over the years. She never married, but loved children and they loved her. Many of them called her Grandma Lu. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church, Northwood, and an active member of the Lydia Circle for many years.

Preceding her in death were her parents; one sister Emylia Rygmyr; four brothers, Melvin, Olaf, Milton and Ernest; one nephew Charles Thompson; three sisters-in-law, Enid Thompson, Venita Thompson and Urania Thompson; three nephews-in-law, Glenn Sheeley, Don Hanson and Art Zidlicky; and her precious niece Kristeen Drugg.

Luella is survived by her nieces, Gartiel Zidlicky of Spillville, Iowa, Beth Sheeley of Corallville, Iowa and Donna Hanson of LeRoy, Minn.; nephews Dean Thompson and wife Lavonne of Riceville, Iowa and Conrad Thompson and wife Joyce of Rochester, Minn.; special friends Ray and Beverly McMullin of Albert Lea, Minn. and their sons, Mike and Randy; special friends Dennis and Renee Bergo of Lake Mills, Iowa and their children, Andrea and Earl Thorton and daughter Anja Luella of Chandler, Ariz., Jennifer and Jason Chose of Ames, Iowa and the late Jonathon Bergo.