Sylvester (Sal) L. Thompson, 96, of Austin, Minnesota, died Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at St. Marks Lutheran Home.

Sylvester Lawrence Thompson was born on Nov. 14, 1918, in Freeborn County, Minnesota, to Andrew and Judith (Aldahl) Thompson. He attended country school and after the ninth grade he began helping his mother care for his three siblings. Sal served in the US Army during WWII. He was married to Bernice E. Braaten on July 21, 1942, in the chapel at St. Olaf Lutheran Church.

The Thompsons made their home in Corning and worked at the Geo. A. Hormel CO. until retiring. For 33 years they wintered in Arizona. Sal would sit quietly and listen to others talk and then his dry sense of humor would come out and have the room in laughter.

He was a lifelong member of Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church and had served on the church council.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Agnes Anderson; and brother Charles Thompson.

Sal is survived by his wife, Bernice Thompson, Austin, Minnesota; son and daughter-in-law: Wayne and Peggy Thompson, Cass Lake, MN; grandchildren: Dave Thompson, Lansing, Minnesota, Thomas Burback, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Lisa Burback, Austin, Minnesota; great-grandchildren: Emily and Eric Thompson, Dillon Erickson, Roxanne Burback, Katilyn Wirth and Kami Burback; sister and brother-in-law: Selma and Harvey Lysne, Austin, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Irene Thompson, Austin, Minnesota; nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church with Pastor Lindsay Stolen officiating. Interment will be at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Cemetery with Austin Post No. 91 American Legion in charge of military rites. Visitation will be at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. and at the church on Saturday morning for one hour before the service.