Frank (Tod) Thompson, 82, passed away on February 1, 2019, in Montrose, CA after a long battle with Lewey Body Dementia.  A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at Montrose Church.

Tod was born in Glendale, California to Frank and Helen (White) Thompson on July 23. 1936.  He attended Glenoaks Elementary School, Wilson Junior High, and Glendale High.

During high school Tod played football and participated in Track and Field doing the shot put.  He set a CIF record in shot put that stood for many years.  After graduation in 1954 Tod served two years in the United States Marine Corps in Amphibious Recon. After being honorably discharged from the Marines, he attended Occidental College where he also played football.

Tod graduated from Oxy and went on to coach and teach at Crescenta Valley High School.  He was on the first staff at the newly opened CVHS.  After five years at CVHS he transferred to Glendale High School where he continued to teach and coach football, swim and water polo.  He remained at GHS for many years and finished the last few years of his 39 year teaching career at Alan Daily High School. 

In 1960 Tod married Michele (Mickey) Thompson.  They moved to La Crescenta in 1963 where they spent 53 out of their 54 years together.  They went on to have two children, Tod and Hayley, and gained daughter-in-law Sheri and son-in-law Curtis (Nelson) in 1997.  During the next 3 years they welcomed four grandchildren: Brady and Cade Nelson, and Jake and Lexi Thompson.

Tod was a nature enthusiast and enjoyed bird watching, fishing, skiing, and camping with his family and exploring the Easter Sierra Nevadas. He was also an avid long board surfer who for over 20 years spent nearly every weekend at Malibu beach with his wife and the many friends he acquired there.  His personality was larger than life and he had the ability to reach even the most shy and introverted person and bring them out of their shell.  He was very gregarious with a terrific sense of humor and genuinely interested in every person he encountered.  He was honest and kept things real, never embellishing facts or a story to make himself look better.  He was very kind and will truly be missed by all that were lucky enough to call him family or friend.  Tod was preceded in death by his wife Mickey, his parents, and his older sister Terry Thompson.  He is survived by his younger sister Jill Larsen and her husband Paul, many nieces and nephews, and his children and grandchildren. Funeral Directors: www.CrippenMortuary.com