THOMPSON, Richard E.

Mount Morrison Cemetery

THOMPSON, Richard Edward ‘Dick’ (1912-2004)[SS#548-16-5154], born April 7, 1912 in Ojai, California, the oldest of six children born in California to Irish parents, John and Josephine Thompson. He went to school in Ojai and graduated from Villanova Preparatory School. Growing up, the Ojai back-country was his extended backyard, and Thompson developed a reputation of being able to out-hike anyone. From the age of fifteen, Thompson regularly went to the islands in the company of his friend, Charles W. Ashworth, three years his senior. He and Ashworth actively collected eggs together for about five years. On a few island trips they joined seasoned ornithologists, Sidney and Lawrence Peyton, M. C. Badger, Harold R. Canterbury, and others.

In 1933 at age 21, Thompson married Gertrude Boley (1912-1999) in Yuma, Arizona, and they were married for 65 years. In 1948 they moved with their daughter, Sue, to Mammoth Lakes, California, where Thompson owned and operated the Mammoth Garage. In the late 1980s they moved to nearby Bishop, splitting their time in Overton Beach, Nevada. As a widower, Thompson spent the last five years of his life in Atascadero with his grand-daughter and great-grandchildren. Thompson died on March 10, 2004 in Atascadero at age 91. He is buried in Mount Morrison Cemetery in Mono County. Thompson was survived by his daughter, Sue Bouska and her family.

Thompson collected on:

• ANACAPA ISLAND (1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931)
• SANTA CATALINA ISLAND (1927)
• SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (1928, 1929, 1930, 1931)

Together Ashworth and Thompson collected sets of Bald Eagle eggs:

Anacapa Island:

• March 11, 1928 [WFVZ 52459]
• February 24, 1929 [MVZ 4622]
• March 9, 1930 [WFVZ 76454]

Santa Cruz Island:

• March 9, 1930 [WFVZ 65872]

Thompson, on a trip with Sidney Peyton and Lawrence Stevens, collected an additional set of Bald Eagles eggs on Santa Cruz Island on March 8, 1931 [WFVZ 126211].

» Charles W. Ashworth and Richard E. Thompson Collecting Notes in The Oologist 47(100):122-124 October 1930.

ANACAPA ISLAND

ISLAND	COLLECTOR	INSTITUTION	DATE	NUMBER	SPECIMEN
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	March 13, 1927	WFVZ-126015	Pelecanus occidentalis	Eggs
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	May 13, 1927	WFVZ-203525	Pelecanus occidentalis	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	May 15, 1927	WFVZ-27565	Haematopus penicillatus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	May 15, 1927	WFVZ-73897	Larus occidentalis	Eggs
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	March 11, 1928	WFVZ-52459	Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	March 15, 1928	WFVZ-73972	Phalacrocorax penicillatus	Eggs
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	MVZ	February 24, 1929	MVZ-4622	Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth	ROM	February 24, 1929	ROM-500476	Phalacrocorax auritus californicus	Birds
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	May 11, 1929	WFVZ-73899	Pelecanus occidentalis	Birds
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	May 19, 1929	WFVZ-73898	Larus occidentalis	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	May 19, 1929	WFVZ-81350	Larus occidentalis	Eggs
Anacapa Island	R. E. THOMPSON	ROM	May 19, 1929	ROM-500363	Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus	Birds
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth	WFVZ	May 9, 1930	WFVZ-76454	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	May 11, 1930	WFVZ-81351	Larus occidentalis	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	May 11, 1930	WFVZ-81352	Larus occidentalis	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	OMNH	May 11, 1930	OMNH-2518	Phalacrocorax pelagicus	Eggs
~ trip ~
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	April 19, 1931	WFVZ-148934	Phalacrocorax penicillatus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	April 19, 1931	WFVZ-83200	Phalacrocorax penicillatus	Eggs
Anacapa Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. THOMPSON	WFVZ	April 19, 1931	WFVZ-27699	Phalacrocorax penicillatus	Eggs

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

5/19/1929 ROM eggs [with C. Ashworth]

ISLAND	COLLECTOR	INSTITUTION	DATE	NUMBER	SPECIMEN
Santa Cruz Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	April 21, 1929	WFVZ-84915	Vermivora celata	Eggs
Santa Cruz Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	May 12, 1929	WFVZ-85240	Thyromanes bewickii	Eggs
Santa Cruz Island	Charles Ashworth & R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	March 9, 1930	WFVZ-65872	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	Eggs
Santa Cruz Island	R. E. Thompson	WFVZ	March 8, 1931	WFVZ-126211	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	Eggs

In the News~

March 30, 2005 [Inyo Register]: “Richard E. Thompson, 91 died on March 10, 2004 in Atascadero, he was born April 7, 1912 in upper Ojai to John E. and Josephine Thompson. Richard went through school in Ojai and graduated from Villanova Preparatory School. He married Gertrude Boley in 1933 in Yuma Ariz., and they were married for 65 years. Richard, Gertrude and daughter Sue moved to Mammoth Lakes in 1948, where they owned and operated the Mammoth Garage at the corner of Main Street and Old Mammoth road. Richard was on the Mono County Planning Commission for many years in the 50s. He was also a member of the Mono County Chamber of Commerce, the National Forest Recreation Association for the 11 western states, a 60-year member of the Elks lodge and a lifetime member of the Mammoth Lakes Lions Club. Richard was an avid and skilled hunter and fisherman, which started as a young boy in the Ojai back country. As a teen, his dad, brothers and friends mad many trips to the Eastern Sierra to hunt and dish. Finally at the age of 36 his dream of living and making a living in the Sierra came true. Family said that he had the reputation of being able to out-hike almost everyone, and noted that he was an excellent fly fisherman. He also loved snowmobiling. Upon retirement, he and Gertrude spent a lot of happy time traveling with their motorhome and boat. They moved from Mammoth to Bishop in the late ‘80s and usually spent from November to May in Overton Beach, Nev. with family and friends, fishing, playing cards, and having a lot of good laughs. For the last five years Richard resided in Atascadero, where he was very blessed to be cared for and looked after by his granddaughter and grandson-in-law and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gertrude; brother, Thomas Thompson; and sister, Louise Oakley. Richard is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Sue and Ed Bouska of Mammoth Lakes; granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Keri and Mike Ellison of Atascadero; grandson, Kevin Bouska of Reno, Nev.; Great-grandchildren Kelsey, Aaron, Evan and Stephanie of Atascadero; brother John Thompson, Jr. of Ventura; sister, Helen Kinney of Merlin, Ore.; and sister, Jo Cromie of Fawnskin. "His terrific sense of humor and wit, which was experienced by many, will certainly be missed," loved ones said.Those wanting to honor his memory should donate in his mane to the Southern Mono Historical Society, P.O. Box 65, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546.”