Obituary: Janet Thompson, 86, of Ludington.

Janet Thompson

Obituary: Janet Thompson, 86, of Ludington.

Janet McLeod Winter Savage Thompson passed away on January 5, 2022.  She was born on April 5, 1935, in Jefferson City, Missouri to Jane and Lyman Winter.  She grew up in Jefferson City and graduated high school in 1953.  Janet went to Smith College for one year and then transferred to the University of Missouri where she joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority.

Between her junior and senior year, Janet toured Europe with good friends.  It was on their cruise home that she met a handsome Air Force pilot, William Kent Savage (Kent), who was returning from his tour of duty in the Korean War.  By the time they reached port they had fallen in love.  After Janet’s graduation from college, Kent invited her to his family’s cottage at Crystal Lake, Michigan where he proposed. They married on October 19, 1957, in Jefferson City.  Janet and Kent raised four children: Kathryn (Kathy), Elizabeth (Lisa), Charles (Chuck) and Stephen (Steve).

During Kent’s employment with IBM (I’ve Been Moved) and then State Farm Insurance Company, the couple and growing family relocated to several locations, including White Plains, New York, Lagrange, Illinois, Stamford, Connecticut, Bloomington, Illinois, and Hinsdale, Illinois.  The family spent every summer at Crystal Lake and a week each winter in Winter Park, Colorado due to Kent’s passion for the Rocky Mountains, which proved to be contagious with the entire family.  In 1980, Janet and Kent decided to make Rocky Mountain living a full-time experience and moved to Boulder where they lived for 20 years.  Hiking, biking, and climbing many a “14er” were enjoyed by the whole family.  In the year 2000, Kent and Janet headed to Ft. Myers, Florida where the warm temperatures provided palliative comfort to Kent as he battled kidney disease to which he succumbed in 2003.

In 2005, Janet was wooed by another Air Force man, Thomas (Tom) Thompson, with whom she married in 2006.  Janet and Tom shared many common joys, including their love of Michigan in the summer and Florida in the winter, as well as going on cruises, dancing, and golfing. Janet loved Tom’s family dearly, including Tom’s son, Tracy and daughter-in-law Laura Thompson of Ludington, and their children Miranda, Bruce, Trent, Temple, and Malcolm; she was so proud of each of them.  Tom passed away three weeks prior to Janet.  Janet was fortunate to experience two loving marriages.

Janet was a wonderful mom and grandmom, sharing her love of Crystal Lake, skiing, sailing, tennis, and “rocking” anything in sight with all of them.  Janet was also devoted to her nieces and nephews and their extended families.  She is preceded in death by her husband of 46 years (Kent); her husband of 15 years (Tom); and two of her children: Billy (who died tragically at age two) and James (who died at birth).  

She is survived by her four children: Kathy Savage Thompson, Lisa (Dan) Cislo, Chuck Savage, and Steve (Judy) Savage, and eight grandchildren: Caroline (Kevin) Haber, Jennifer Thompson, Fallon Cislo, Kelley Cislo, Jonathan Thompson, Rachel (Caleb) Ibanez, Ellie Savage, Brooks Savage, and a great grandson: Jaxson Haber. Her grandchildren were the joy of her life.

The compassionate workers of Village Services in Ludington (Barb, Samantha, Tisha, Cindy, Cathy, Mary, Yvette, and many others) made her final year of life comfortable and full of love.

Service date to be determined.  For information contact Kathy Thompson: Kathryn.thompson0@gmail.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.oakgroveludington.com.