Our Poppo...

I cannot express to any of you, my feelings of deep and utter sorrow today. My Poppo past on Sunday, and it has been a heck of a week since. I LOVE the memories I have of him, whether its at my Parents house on Christmas Eve, or him bustin' chops with my Dad on Thanksgiving. I Miss him so much. I'm just so glad he was able to spend some time with Molly, and he painted her some beautiful little gifts. The things that I found out about him this week, I just wish I knew them earlier. I have so very many questions to ask him, and as the tears run down my face right now I feel the deep regret that I will never be able to. He was so honorable and gave so much to so many. I never knew. I thank God that I came from the family that he created, and I will do all that I can to try to be as stong and honorable and giving and fun and happy as I remember Poppo to always be. All I wish is that I make him and Gamma proud. If I am ever a quarter of the man he was I will consider myself lucky. I can't type any more right noe but below I have pasted a poem by my niece Taylor, who I am so proud of, for having the strength to read this at the Funeral. She is very strong. I have also pasted a short biography of Poppo as he is definatly a HERO, HERO, HERO!!!!!!!!!! He is my HERO.


Pop Pop with the Doggies Poem
By: Great Granddaughter Taylor

The firemen in your heart said it was time to retire,
The canvas you painted on said you were done,
The birds in the bird houses sang one last song,
We all hoped they were wrong.
Then, you made it to the eighteenth hole,
To give it one more roll.
We don't think of you as losing a friend,
We think of you as gaining memories.
For you saw us grow up from the beginning to now
You remembered a lot, somehow.
You wanted to get to every game,
And just see us dribble down the court.
We remember when you gave us laugher
Or just rang to say hello
We remember when you held us tight.
Always remembering to say goodnight.
No one, but us have the memories you shared
We'll never forget them
We'll never forget you.
Thank-you and good-night!!

KENNETH A. THOMPSON, 90, of Port Monmouth, MIDDLETOWN, passed away Sunday morning, April 15, peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.

Kenneth was born in Brooklyn, the son of the late William and Jessie Ackerman Thompson. He moved to East Orange as a child and lived there until moving to Port Monmouth 57 years ago. He was a quality control supervisor at Shaw Insulator, Irvington, for 25 years then at Indiana General, Keasby, for 25 years. He retired in 1981. He then became the part-time custodian at the Middletown Elks for 15 years. He was a 54-year member of Port Monmouth Fire Company and a 55-year member of Port Monmouth First Aid Squad. He was the past president and captain of both companies. He was also a first aid instructor for many years and a liaison between the first aid squad and the Boy Scouts for 25 years. He was also a 23-year member of Middletown Elks Lodge 2179. He was drafted by the Newark Bears baseball team, but due to family obligations he had to turn the position down. After retiring, he spent his spare time working in his garden and painting birdhouses. If you came to visit, you could not leave without a birdhouse or one of his famous tomatoes.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Jane Cumiskey Thompson; and their five daughters, Carol Luft of Conroe, Texas, Arliene Zaborney of Port Monmouth, Barbara Startari of Woodstown, Denise Arcara of Middletown, and Elizabeth Thompson of Woodstown. Kenneth is also survived by two sisters, Violet Sohlgren of Florida, and Margie Connover of North Carolina; 16 grandchildren; and 24 and a half great-grandchildren.


Every Christmas my Dad would get all of us the same sweater to wear. Here is this past Christmas Eve photo with our bright red Sweaters. I happen to also be wearing mine today.