Salinas

Martha Glesne Thompson, 91, died peacefully at the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula on March 26, 2025 with family members by her side.

Martha was born on July 22, 1933 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Otto and Lyla Glesne. She had two younger siblings, John and Ruth and alarge extended family. She was always an excellent student and had a love of horses throughout her early years.

She graduated in 1951 from Fort Dodge Senior High School and attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota eventually earning Nursing Degrees from St. Olaf and the University of Minnesota in 1957. She married Roland Duane Thompson from Albert Lea, MN in 1956 and they had three children Eric, Kari and Lynn.

Martha supported Rollie as he attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota graduating in June of 1959. After a stay as Pastor in Zumbrota, Minnesota, Rollie became an Army Chaplain. As a military family, they lived in Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Rockville, MD; Brooklyn, NY; Heidelberg, Germany; Salinas, CA; Agoura, CA as well as Staten Island, NY. While Rollie served 2 separate tours in Vietnam during 1966 &1971, Martha and the children resided near her parents in Northfield, MN and Fort Dodge, Iowa.

In 1977, both Martha and Rollie received Masters Degrees in Social Services from Azusa Pacific College and Martha went on to use her nursing and counseling skills as a private marriage counselor and Visiting Nurses, retiring with Rollie to a permanent residence in Salinas, CA in 1995. After Rollie’s death in 1999,Martha returned to nursing through Hospice and as a Ombudsman in local senior living facilities. She remained active at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Salinas CA, at times, participating as a Stephen's minister.

Martha enjoyed cooking and entertaining. She participated in tennis and golf, playing into her late 80’s. She was an avid Mahj Jongg player. She maintained frequent contact with many relatives and friends over the years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Thompson and her parents, Otto and Lyla Glesne.

She is survived by her 3 children; Eric (Ellen Brown) Thompson, Kari (Robert) Maggiorini, Lynn (Michael) Domalaog and grandchildren; Severin (Mengyuan Jin) Thompson and Kai Thompson, step grandchildren; Carolyn Brown (Eoin Mac Giolla Riogh)and Kristen Brown, and others of the Knutson and Mullins families.

Services will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Salinas on April 26th at 1PM and burial in the Hovey Cemetery inBadger, Iowa inJune.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Monterey County Foodbank.