Terry L Thompson

Hastings resident Terry L. Thompson, 78, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Mary Lanning Health Care, Hastings, NE.

Services will be at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Butler Volland Chapel in Hastings, with Pastor Matt Sass officiating. Burial will be held at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings, NE. Memorials may be given to the family for a memorial to be established at a later date. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Terry’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family.

Terry was born September 30, 1948, in Parkston, South Dakota, to Dale and Alice Thompson. He attended grade school in Parkston and graduated from St. Cecilia High School in Hastings in 1966. He attended Central Community College before joining the Air Force as a machinist, proudly serving his country from 1968 to 1972. Following his service, Terry was a dedicated employee at T & L Irrigation for over 48 years, where he worked alongside his father, Dale, for many of those years.

While stationed in England, Terry met the love of his life, Valerie Bales, and they married in Hastings on June 6, 1973. She preceded him in death on July 22, 1993. We can only imagine their joy when they reunited in Heaven. Terry was also preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Alice Thompson, his grandparents, and numerous aunts and uncles.

It’s hard to imagine our world without Terry in it. He was a devoted son, brother, father, grandpa, uncle, and friend who loved his family fiercely and found joy in life’s simple pleasures!

Terry loved his Indianapolis Colts, English soccer, especially West Ham United, and, of course, mowing his lawn shirtless! He had a quick wit, a generous heart, and a great sense of humor. He loved making people laugh, cracking jokes with anyone who crossed his path, and sharing his unmistakable laugh with those around him.

Some of Terry’s greatest joys were watching his kids and grandkids play sports in high school and college, traveling to Denver, Colorado, to spend time with family, and settling in to watch whatever sports or game show was on. He loved his friends, cold beer, fast cars, liquid metal music, and blowing stuff up on the Fourth of July! Terry was just a fun guy who knew how to enjoy life and make memories along the way.

He leaves behind a family who will miss his humor, his big heart, his laugh, and all the little things that made him uniquely Terry. He will be forever loved, forever missed, and never forgotten.

Survivors grieving the loss of this amazing man included son and spouse, Darren and Ruthi Thompson of Lincoln, Nebraska; daughter and spouse Destiny & Caden Hoffman of Hastings, Nebraska, step-daughter and spouse, Paula and Jason Bales-Swartz of Phoenix, Arizona; sister and spouse, Sandra and Larry Cleveland of Broomfield, Colorado, brother and spouse Rick and Cathy Thompson of Chappell, Nebraska; grandsons Owen and Keegan Thompson of Lincoln, NE; and numerous step-granddaughters, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and Destiny’s mother, Robbie Busking, of Hastings, who shared an important part of Terry’s life.