Carlene Renae Thompson, age 84, of Lake Benton, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society in Pipestone. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM Friday, February 6, 2026, at Baltic Lutheran Church. Interment will be at the East Nidaros Lutheran Cemetery, rural Baltic. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Thursday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Baltic.
Carlene was born on September 27, 1941, in Dell Rapids, South Dakota, to Carmen and Arlene (Prestbo) Nesheim. She grew up on the Nesheim farm south of Baltic and graduated from Baltic High School in 1959. She married Lyle Thompson on April 23, 1960, at Baltic Lutheran Church. After their marriage, they lived in Sioux Falls until moving to Lake Benton, Minnesota in 1963. While in Lake Benton, Carlene worked as a teacher’s aide until they moved to their home on Lake Shaokatan in the early 1980’s. They moved to Pipestone in 2019 to be closer to their grandchildren.
Carlene was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton. She loved gardening, tending to her flowers, and taking walks around the lake. Carlene and Lyle loved traveling and were lucky enough to visit Hawaii and Branson several times. But most of all, Carlene loved her grandchildren, and cherished the years when they would all come to the lake for the summer.
Survivors include her loving husband, Lyle of Pipestone; son, Brian Thompson of Florida; grandchildren: Mandy (Weston) Matthiesen, Taylor (Danielle) Thompson, Dominique Thompson, Daryn Thompson, and Katelyn Thompson; 16 great grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Pat Thompson of Yankton; siblings: Yvonne (Gary) Kocmick, Renner, Joann Moan, Baltic, Dale (Pam) Nesheim, Baltic, and Lori (Randy) Fehl, Glenwood, IA; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her sons, Todd and Michael.
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