Emma Gene Thompson

Her sons announce the passing of their beautiful mother, Emma Gene Shelton Goodman Eastwood Wilhite Middleton Thompson on October 26, 2022. Emma passed peacefully at her home. Emma was born to J.Z. Shelton and Zula Naul Farmer Shelton of Sebree, KY on October 19, 1927 in Henderson, KY. As a lovely young lady in the 1940’s, Emma fibbed about her age and got a job at the Neisner’s Five and Dime on Evansville’s Main Street. In the 1950’s she was placed front and center at the cosmetic counter of Salm’s Department Store, which stood at 4th and Main Street. In the 1960’s, she worked for Mead Johnson and Company and in 1974 she began a new vocation: that of “Grandma”. Emma has four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. In the 1940’s, Emma was married to Orville Eastwood, Sr.; in the 1950’s to James Elston Wilhite; in the 1960’s to Ralph Middleton, Jr. and, after being widowed in 1974, Emma married retired Naval Officer Robert E. Thompson and remained so until his death on February 1, 2020. We honor all of her husbands and Mother was especially fond of the two men who gave her the two sons that love her: Orville Eastwood, Jr. (Dorita) of Gilbertsville, KY and James Wilhite of Evansville, IN who was her primary caregiver. Emma was born during the Great Depression and grew up on the Shelton Family farm outside of Sebree, KY on the banks of the Green River. Many of our “city” relatives would often visit knowing they would receive ample food. Now, on the farm also resided the Shelton Family mule; no one seems to remember his name, but little Emma and bigger brother Joe would often ride this barn-trained mule to the one-room schoolhouse up the gravel and dirt road. Once there, they would dismount and with a smack to his back-side, he would dutifully make his way back to his barn. He was a familiar site to the neighbors along the road as he clip-clopped quietly home. Some of the important cars in Mother’s life were: a two-tone 1946 Packard sedan; a black and white 1956 Plymouth Savoy convertible; a white 1964 Chrysler New Yorker sedan; a tan 1976 Chrysler Cordoba coupe; a tan 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan; and in 1990, Mother was delighted with her very first silver 1990 Cadillac Sedan deVille – Way to Go, Emma! She went from a mule to a Cadillac in just 60 years! Mother was sad to know that she had out-lived all of her brothers and sister: Her beloved Wanda Redman Speak, Von Toble, Junior J. Shelton, and Joseph Marvin. Mother had also out-lived all of her first cousins on both sides of her family. Emma out-lived ALL of her original neighbors on Pennsylvania Street of 1955, from Barker Avenue all the way to Wabash Avenue, even the Mead Johnson family and George Koch himself, are gone. And like J.Z. before her, Mother had out-lived her doctor. May God bless them one and all. Emma is survived by her three remaining nieces: Norwanda Redman Macke of Evansville, IN, Vonette Jean Shelton Curtis of Hanson, KY and Sally Marie “Peanuts” Lynn Davenport of Evansville, IN. Emma’s extended family is vast and includes some wonderful people: Maria Eastwood Weaver (Melvin) of Morganfield, KY; William Burk (Sara) of Evansville, IN; Raini Smith Hall of Henderson, KY; Gwen Casper Crowe and daughter, Heidi of Evansville, IN; Jim Weldon of Evansville, IN; Mrs. Fay Wortman (Bill) of Darmstadt, IN; Ms. Sandy Barth Barnhill, Evansville; Michael Miller, Evansville, Jerauld Sallee (Sandy), Evansville. Emma would want to acknowledge all of the sales ladies at Lazarus Department Store who always recognized her and the ladies who greeted her at Sam’s Club. The family of Emma Gene Thompson gives thanks to the All Mighty God for a Life Time full of Joy and Happiness and, like the Shelton family mule of long ago, may all who read this find contentment and peace as we make our own way home. Funeral services for Emma will be held at 11:00 AM on All Saints Day, Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at Pierre Funeral Home, with burial in Sunset Memorial Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 AM until service time at 11:00 AM. Condolences may be made online at www.pierrefuneralhome.com.

Emma Gene Thompson

October 19, 1927 - October 26, 2022