Ralph W. Thompson passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 12, 2018, at his home in Rexburg, Idaho at age 83 of causes incident to old age.

Ralph was born Ralph Wendell Chipman on October 26, 1934, in Provo, Utah County, Utah, the first child of Wendell B Chipman and Rhae Gardner. When Ralph was seven years old, his parents divorced. His mother later married Wayne Thompson, and his name was then legally changed to Ralph Wayne Thompson.

Having taught himself to read at the age of three, Ralph began a lifelong habit of voracious, eclectic reading. He had read all books in the children's section of the Provo City Library by the age of seven and had since read thousands of books.

Ralph took the College Prep courses at San Mateo High School in California, graduating in 1952. He then pursued civil engineering courses for two years at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Ralph served 30 months as an LDS missionary in Brazil [1955-57] before returning to BYU, where he took a degree in English Literature, with minors in mathematics and Portuguese language in 1959, followed by graduate studies in English Literature.

Ralph met Carol Ann Glenn the day after returning from the Brazilian Mission in 1957, in San Mateo, California. They were married February 22, 1959, and sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple September 30, 1963.

An active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ralph served as Elders Quorum counselor, ward clerk, and bishop's counselor. Also seven years as a bishop at Ricks College, a ward executive secretary [17 years], and a teacher in Sunday School and High Priest group [30 years]. Unable to serve a couple's mission after retirement, Ralph developed his own "mission." For 17 years he spent 20+ hours every week in the Church's Indexing Program, while Carol served as a missionary in Church Distribution and then in the Temple.

Ralph was an adjunct teacher of English at BYU Provo for three years, then moved to Rexburg, Idaho, where he was a professor of English for 37 years until his retirement in 1999. Ralph designed, developed and ran a writing lab at the college for 17 years, which assisted thousands of students every semester and trained hundreds of tutors. Ralph edited Snake River Echoes, historical society quarterly, for 19 years.

Ralph is survived by his lovely wife Carol, by 11 children--Mary Leni [Dan] Davenport; Cara Linda [Phil] Secrist; Ralph Wayne [Lisa Hansen] Thompson, Jr.; Rebecca Lynn [Dave] Johnson; Tirzah Lee [Scott] Kidd; Selena Kaye [Tim] McCoig; Keturah Lou [Darin] Partridge; Eben Dell [Melissa] Thompson; Jerusha Ann [Jefferson] Worden; Marissa Jo [Alex] Jones; and Callie Jean Reed. Also by 43 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren, and his brother Carl Thompson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Hazel Rhae Garn; a brother, Micheal Lee Thompson; Son-in-law, Dan Arden Davenport, great-grandson, Ross Anthony Bundy and a great-granddaughter, Ruby Jane Peterson.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 17th at the Harvest Hills LDS Chapel, 612 South Hidden Valley Road in Rexburg. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and then again from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery.