Retired firefighter still going strong at age 80

At 80, former fire marshal and firefighter Gene Thompson fights mostly political flare-ups as the very active local chapter and state president of the Montana Landlords Association.

At an age when most have retreated into retirement, Thompson keeps on top of multiple rentals units and a large statewide organization that he keeps expanding.

"I have two vice presidents, a secretary, 20 directors and 1,247 members in 12 chapters," he said. "There were 700 members when I started four years ago."

Well over 100 friends and extended family turned out recently to celebrate Thompson's landmark birthday and exceptional life. He takes a lot of pride in calling himself a native of the Flathead Valley.

He was born Oct. 6, 1931, in Somers and inherited his work ethic from his parents. He spent his formative years observing his industrious mother and father using their wits and creativity to make a living.

"My folks used to cut out lawn ornaments all winter long with a 48-inch Delta jigsaw, then my mother would paint them and sell them right in the yard," he said. "They bought a new car doing that."

The family lived out of state for a time but returned to Kalispell where Thompson attended grade school at Central School. He graduated from Flathead County High School in 1950, then married Margene Christopher in 1951.

Over the years, the couple had daughters Linda Smith and Janet, who died as a child, and sons Kent Floyd and Scott. To support his growing family, Thompson first worked several years for his father-in-law at the Phillips 66 station on Third Street West in Kalispell.

At 25, he got a $325-a-month job with the fire department as a benefit of a new 40-hour work week law.

"They needed one more man to fill out the crew," he said.

Starting on July 1, 1957, Thompson fought fires under Fire Chief Jack Price. A year later, he lost his position when the city had to cut one fireman and one policeman, but Thompson kept food on the table working at two grocery stores.

Even though he wasn't on the force on Sept. 15, 1959, Thompson raced to scene and Price put him to work fighting the huge Conrad Bank building fire. His daughter still remembers that fire.

"It was spectacular - the flames were clear up in the sky," Linda Smith said.

Thompson recalled holding a 2 1/2-inch hose with several other firemen in front of the Robbin & Robbin men's clothing store when it blew up. They got blown across the street, pinning Walt Young, a city councilman, under the nozzle of the powerful hose.

"I never did let go [of the hose]. I kept ahold of it because if they whip, they can kill you," Thompson said. "I pulled myself up and shut it off. It was a great big nozzle and had a loop on each side to hold it."

The Inter Lake at the time described the Conrad Bank fire as the worst fire in the town's history, eclipsing even the Kalispell Lumber Mill blaze of the early 1950s. Along with the men's store, the bank building fire gutted 40 business offices in the top two floors.

"They figured it started in the basement," he said. "They never caught anyone so they couldn't prove arson."

In 1962, Thompson became a permanent firefighter and served as Kalispell fire marshal for a time. He recalled the string of fires during the '70s that caused millions of dollars in damage to downtown Kalispell.

On Aug. 4, 1972, a fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. in the alley behind Ewing's Enterprise, Bomar Office Equipment and Western Development Company on Main Street, and soon became a monster. At the time, Flathead Valley Community College was located downtown and was threatened but not heavily damaged by the inferno.

Thompson said an equipment loan from Pacific Power allowed them to cool roofs and save nearby buildings. including one housing section of the college.

"We used their lift truck to get up with our nozzles," Thompson said. "We didn't have an aerial truck at the time and it really helped us get close to the fire."

While on the department, Thompson was recommended to become one of five deputy state fire marshals in Montana investigating fires and fire-related deaths in unincorporated areas. His area was a 100-mile radius of the valley.

"I spent most of my time in Eureka and Libby," he said.

Some investigations were closer to home, like the fire that broke out at Bigfork High School. He worked on the case with the resident deputy.

"We knew where the fire started and started putting things together," he said. "It ended up it was baseball players - local boys. We charged two of them. In two days, we had it. Sometimes you go a year or more."

Thompson served as deputy state fire marshal for 10 years until his wife died in 1973 and he could no longer travel with young children still at home.

Never one to indulge in leisure, he had built his family a home, took on remodeling projects, acquired houses, remodeled and rented them while holding down his firefighting position. He also worked for a local physician, building and maintaining his many properties around the valley.

"Dad always had two jobs," Smith said.

But he always made it to the emergency calls, including the string of seven major fires over an eight-month period starting in 1976. Thompson also drove the ambulance for $1 a run whenever he got called back to work.

He remembers swinging by to pick up Dr. VanKirke Nelson on the way to accidents.

"When he came here, he lived close to the fire hall. I picked up VanKirke a lot of times," Thompson said. "He'd go right to the scene with us."

In the process of carrying heavy patients and other strenuous work, he developed back problems that led to his decision to retire from the Kalispell Fire Department at the rank of captain in 1983 after 27 years. Thompson said he has three bolts in his back, new knees and a procedure on his shoulder as souvenirs of an active life.

"Firefighting and remodeling houses - it's hard on you," he said.

After retiring, he married his second wife, Marlene, and became active in the community with the Flathead County Sheriff's Posse, the Roundup for Safety committee, Evergreen Lions Club and the Elks Lodge.

Still actively managing 16 rental properties in the Flathead Valley, Thompson enjoys his presidential duties, traveling the state for Montana Landlords Association, often with his local chapter vice president Ron Trippet.

"I'll keep traveling as long as I've got Ron," he said.

How does he keep on top of everything at 80? Thompson follows the mantra he learned from his longtime friend Dulane Fulton.

"Organize, deputize and supervise."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.