BIOGRAPHY

Thompson was born in Toledo, Ohio, on 28 October 1912 as the son of Norwegian immigrants, growing up on a farm. He dropped out of school in eighth grade, and went on to work in the fishing and lumber industries. He achieved a high school diploma aged 22.

Thompson served five years in the U. S. Navy, and saw action in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. In 1945, he married Carla Samuela, known as Sammie, and the couple had a son, Gary. Thompson wanted to settle in his home state of Oregon, but ended up settling in California due to his wife’s dislike of Oregon’s weather.

Thompson graduated from Oregon State College in 1952, having majored in industrial arts, and quit smoking in 1955. He was widowed in 2007 after his wife’s death aged 93. At the age of 106, he underwent a heart valve replacement; he is believed to be the oldest person to have such a procedure done.

Throughout his life, Thompson wrote and published many books, even at 109 years old. He died in Alta Sierra, California, on 13 June 2023 at the age of 110 years, 228 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the 7 January 2023 death of Raymond Monroy, 110, Thompson became California’s oldest male resident known to LongeviQuest. Upon his own death, the title may have passed to Otis Randle. However, Randle’s age is not validated as of August 2024.

Thompson was also the second-oldest known man in the entire United States, after Wisconsin’s Herbert Wolding.

Thompson’s age was verified by Stefan Maglov and an anonymous researcher, and was validated by LongeviQuest on 19 August 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

• The oldest Beaver: Rudy Thompson, 106, returns to Corvallis Corvallis Gazette-Times, 4 September 2019
• A 107-year-old Oregon native recalls how the Spanish flu hit his family KGW, 29 April 2020
• Alta Sierra resident turns 108 The Union, 28 October 2020
• His first 109 years: Centenarian continues to pen works despite challenges of old age The Union, 28 October 2021
• Arthur Rudolph “Rudy” Thompson Oregon Stater Magazine Winter 2024 (pg. 60)
• Supercentenarian Rudy Thompson dies at 110 years old The Union, 17 June 2023

GALLERY