Patricia J. (Barker) Thompson

Granny to many, Mom to a handful, sister to a few and beloved wife of one,  Patricia Joy Thompson left this world to rest in eternal love on May 16, 2023 surrounded by her family.  Pat was born on October 10, 1944 to Xelpho and Mary (Hetherington) Barker in Battle Creek, Michigan.  Her childhood was spent making mischief with her younger brothers and idolizing her older sisters.  She graduated from Lakeview High School in 1962 and began attending Kellogg Community College to earn her degree as an LPN.   On a fateful night in the fall of 1962, on a blind date, she met and shared a kiss with the love of her life and never looked back.  She married Richard (Dick) Thompson six months later on June 10, 1963.  Then the party really got started. Over the next six years, they welcomed four children, Christine (Tim), Joe (Betsee), Amy (Luke) and Colleen (Dewayne) who became, along with their father, the center of her universe.  She began her nursing career in 1965 at Leila Hospital in Battle Creek and worked for 35 years in intensive care.  Once the kids were grown and starting to leave the nest, she went back to college and earned her RN in 1985 from KCC.  In 1990, being the kind of caregiver she was and always wanting to contribute more to her profession, she went back to earn her Bachelors degree in 1994 from the University of Michigan (insert groan from her husband here) and then in 2000, at the age of 48, earned her Masters degree from Andrews University and became a nurse practitioner. She put her degrees to good use by beginning work at The Lung Center in Battle Creek.  She was also a director at Battle Creek Health Systems Sleep Center where she specialized in sleep disorders.  If you met her, you know she was passionate about her job.  She became involved with the Michigan Sleep Alliance and also spoke to many groups about the importance of sleep and health.  She retired in 2009, 2010, 2011…. You get the idea.  When she thought her heart couldn’t get more full, she was blessed with 15 grandchildren, Elizabeth, Jacob, Jordan, Spencer, Nicholas, Mitchell, Zeke, Isaac, Ethan, Matthew, Lydia, Harriett, Kyla, Simon, and Sylvia.  As of December, 2022, she has also welcomed 13 great-grandchildren.  Over the years, she spent winters in Florida, sharing “Fish Camp” with her brother, John Barker and his wife Wanda.  Her hobbies were many.  When not volunteering for every organization that asked or attending the sporting events and activities of her children and grandchildren, she made wedding cakes, hand quilted a quilt for every grandchild and worked in her flower and fairy gardens.  She was welcomed into heaven by her parents, her brother Charles Barker and her sister Margaret Elliott. Friends may meet the family on Sunday, May 21 from 1:00pm-3:00pm and 5:00-7:00pm at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, 205 East Maple, Climax, MI 49034 and Monday, May 22 from 10:00am-11:00am at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, 5855 West E Ave, Vicksburg, MI 49097 where a funeral mass will follow at 11:00am. A Rosary Service will be Sunday evening at 6:30pm. Private interment will be in Ft. Custer National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in her name to Climax Township Fire and Rescue. To view Pat's personalized webpage please visit https://www.langelands.com