Thompson, Ken
Thompson, Herbert Kenneth (“Ken”)
December 17, 1946 – April 6, 2026Ken Thompson was born on December 17, 1946, on the Daley Meadows homestead in Keene, Ontario — the third generation to call the Hunter family farm home. He passed away peacefully on April 6, 2026, at Hospice Wellington in Guelph, surrounded by his loving family.
Ken was the beloved husband of Linda (Harvey) Thompson. They married on July 1, 1967, and spent 58 years building a life together — first in Keene, and later in Kitchener, where they moved in 1981. He was a devoted father to Bryan Thompson (Tricia) and Karyn Thompson-Di Tomaso (Raphael), a proud grandfather to Ronan Thompson (Nicole) and Alexander Di Tomaso, and a delighted great-grandfather to baby Aria, who arrived just three days before he passed.
He was predeceased by his parents, Nellie (Hunter) Thompson and Herbert Thompson, of Keene.
Ken was a man of many trades and quiet talents. He drove a school bus in Keene with the kind of reliability that winter couldn’t touch — there were no snow days on his route. On one memorable occasion, when a storm made the roads impassable, he sheltered a busload of children overnight at a local farm rather than take any chances. He went on to work as a private investigator for the Royal Bank of Canada before a long career in the automotive sector.
Outside of work, Ken’s hands were rarely still. He had a deep passion for restoring Cockshutt tractors, and a love of farming that was really in his blood from the beginning. He was an avid curler, and enjoyed boating and snowmobiling through the seasons. He played tenor saxophone in the Crestwood Crusaders, and if you asked him his favourite song, he’d tell you it was The House of the Rising Sun.
Ken was a proud and dedicated member of the Masonic Lodge for over 40 years. He served as Past Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario, and was a member of New Dominion Lodge No. 205.
He loved to travel, and Gananoque and Ottawa held a special place in his heart. He returned to both again and again over the years, and was particularly fond of the Thousand Islands cruise out of Gananoque.
Ken was an only child, but he filled his life with community, friendship, and family. He was dependable, capable, and quietly devoted to the people he loved.
He will be deeply missed.
At Ken’s request, a private burial will be held for close family members at Upper Keene Cemetery in Keene, Ontario.
For those who wish to honour Ken’s memory, the family welcomes donations in his name to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Donations can be made at michaeljfox.org.
