Russell LeRoy Thompson

Russell LeRoy (Russ) Thompson died suddenly at his home in Roy, Utah, on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 of natural causes. He was born in Ogden, Utah, on May 13, 1960, as the eldest of five children born to Donna (Bush) Thompson and LeRoy M. Thompson. His family moved to Roy, Utah, in the 1970s where he lived until graduating from college. Russ graduated from Roy High School in 1978, then attended the University of Utah where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. He joined the United States Air Force where he was stationed stateside in Missouri, Ohio, California, and abroad in Italy. During his time in the Air Force, he earned a Master’s Degree in Engineering.

Russ married Brenda Sigvardt in 1983, with whom he had two daughters, Mary and Lindsey. He and Brenda divorced in the early nineties, and he was granted sole custody of his daughters. He separated from the Air Force while he was stationed in California. After leaving the military he went to Texas Tech University. They left Texas and returned to Roy, Utah, where he lived until his death.

Russ was a civilian employee at Hill Air Force Base as a civil engineer which offered new and interesting challenges. He retired from his position in 2022. During much of his adult life in Roy, he was active in the First Presbyterian Church where he held leadership positions and volunteered as a youth mentor, teaching math and general life skills. He greatly enjoyed sharing his knowledge of a variety of topics.

Russ was a single parent with sole custody when that was uncommon for men (1990s). He faced many struggles and rose to meet the challenge with the support and participation of his parents and sister Julie (Thompson) Stokes and her family.

He and his daughters participated in Cowboy Shooting, in costume with real and replica firearms. He also supported them by serving as assistant troop leader in the Girl Scouts of America. They played a variety of games, online and board games – Dungeons and Dragons was a particular favorite, especially when his grandchildren were old enough to participate. He collected firearms (not in a militia sort of way; he just liked guns) and antique tools. He recently developed an interest in YouTube cooking programs that featured unusual foods and antiquated cooking techniques which he shared with those he thought would appreciate the culinary challenge.

He was a proud grandfather of two children from Mary (Thompson) and Kirk Wiberg, Ross and Lireal. He was particularly proud that Ross joined the United States military and is serving the Navy in Japan.

He had an exuberant personality, quick laugh, a robust sense of humor, wicked-sharp intellect, a quick smile, a fondness for whiskey and good food. He enjoyed social settings where he could share his knowledge on a wide variety of topics and was particularly interesting in Cards Against Humanity.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Donna and Lee, and survived by his children, Mary (Kirk) Wiberg, and Lindsey Thompson (Josh Horvat), grandchildren Ross and Lireal Wiberg, sisters Linna Thompson, Amy Taylor, Julie (Ken) Stokes, and his brother Michael.

He will be dearly missed. The family is holding a celebration of Russ’s life on Saturday, September 16 at 2:00 pm in Geneva Hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Ogden, 880 28^th St. Ogden, Utah 84403.