Patricia Marie Thompson

Patricia Marie Thompson, 48, died peacefully as a beautiful new day dawned, Wednesday, January 21st, 2015. Her sister Ann Eckels, brother Chris Thompson and nurse Tessie Ihionknan were at her side to support and prayerfully encourage her as she was born into heaven.

Red-headed and full of life, Tricia filled every room with her vitality, laughter, creativity and love of friends until February 21, 1989. On that night, the car in which she was riding as a passenger was struck by a drunk driver. At 22, she was left comatose for a year and, for the following twenty-five years, was unable to talk, walk, eat or act in any way on her own behalf. Only the mischievous glint in her eyes, her laugh and an echo of her playful demeanor survived and captivated anew the hearts of her many caring nurses. She added those new admirers to the devoted company of her parents, siblings and their spouses, her forty-seven nieces and nephews, six great-nieces/nephews and the caring friends from her youth. Most of Tricia's nieces and nephews were born during the years of her suffering, and her presence provided them and others the gift of compassionately accepting life in all forms as equally beautiful and valuable.

Tricia was preceded in death by her mother, Jeanne Collins Thompson, in 2003, and her sister, Amy Jeanne Thompson, in 1989, the victim of an attempted robbery in 1986. Following Amy's own head injury, she visited Tricia in ICU to encourage Tricia to recover and, later, encouraged us to trust in God and never fear death.

After 26 years of Tricia's suffering, we are both heartbroken and yet relieved she is finally set free to again be fully the Tricia that we knew? Funny, feisty, so manically active and free to dance, laugh out loud, talk ceaselessly, and most importantly, join her mom, sister Amy and all those waiting for her in the presence of God.

Words cannot express our gratitude for the care provided Tricia by many while in her most compromised state. The love shown to the part of Tricia that remained earthbound, in a shell that so diminished her for these many years, made this time as bearable and pleasant for her as possible.

She is survived by her father, Byron Gregory Thompson, Sr. (Joan), siblings and siblings-in-spirit: Mary Thompson O'Connor (John), Kathleen Thompson Brown, Byron Gregory "Greg" Thompson Jr. (Ramona), Mark Collins Thompson (Amy), Paul Joseph Thompson (Mary), Timothy John Thompson (Beth), Brian Christopher "Chris" Thompson (Julie), Ann Therese Eckels (David), Michael "Scott" Thompson (Pam), forty-seven nieces and nephews and six great-nieces/nephews.

Prayer service and rosary will be at 4:30 at Visitation Church, 5100 Main, KCMO, Monday, January 26th followed by a visitation until 7:30 pm.

Funeral Mass of the Resurrection will also be at Visitation Church on Tuesday, January 27th, 10:30 a.m. Mass will be followed by burial at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Boulevard, Raytown, MO 64138.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City, and Notre Dame De Sion high school or the charity of your preference.