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A legacy of giving back

91 years old and still playing, giving, learning

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Elaine Thompson owns many books, some displayed on her shelf here, that reflect on her interests and studies growing up. An avid learner, Thompson has earned multiple academic degrees throughout her career. Her latest degree, aquired in her early 70s, being in family life education from Spring Arbor University.

ALPENA — Age isn’t stopping 91-years-old Elaine Thompson from performing music for others.

In fact, it only drives her to keep going.

She started taking piano lessons when she was a young girl in 1939, when it cost just 15 cents per class. She learned to harmonize and play piano chords at the First Assembly of God Church her family attended while she was growing up. In the 1950s, she started coming to Pierce’s Nursing Home, now known as MediLodge of Greenview, to play the piano for residents.

“They love it so much,” she said. “It’s their favorite activity, music. When I start, I keep going.”

Thompson takes it upon herself to learn how to play new instruments, her latest interest the ukulele. She is an active member of the Alpena Ukesters, a musical group for retirees that meets once a week to practice both basic chords on the ukulele and songs popular in the season. She also knows how to play the French horn, and used to play in the civic orchestra.

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Elaine Thompson and her daughter, Esther Donald-Briggs, are seen here at MediLodge of Greenview on Oct. 29. Donald-Briggs takes Thompson every Tuesday and Friday to play piano for residents at MediLodge of Alpena and MediLodge of Greenview.

She’s gotten more into music since getting older.

“After I play the piano, I go around and visit people,” Thompson said. “I memorize all of the women names, and some of the men names.”

Besides MediLodge Greenview and MediLodge Alpena, Thompson said she is open to the idea of performing at other care homes.

EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND

Once a fifth-grade English teacher at Sunset Elementary School and a special education teacher at St. Anne’s and Long Rapids Elementary School, Thompson soon after went on to teach English as a second language abroad in both Japan and Russia. An unforgettable experience that helped broaden her horizons, she said she encourages anyone to travel and see other countries.

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Elaine Thompson, left, is seen with a resident, right, at MediLodge of Greenview on Oct. 29. After Thompson finishes her piano performance, she visits with residents and makes a point to remember names.

A globetrotter at heart, Thompson has traveled all around the world to places such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Kashmir. Japan, though, was by far her favorite place to teach English.

“The best part of teaching in Japan was getting acquainted with the Japanese, the children and the parents,” she said. “I taught mostly kids, but, sometimes, I substituted and taught adults.”

In her early 70s, Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in family life education from Spring Arbor University, her latest degree among many others. She graduated from Alpena Community College in 1964, earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in elementary education from Central Michigan University.

All through her college career, she also worked to raise her children.

“I keep persevering,” Thomson said.

Courtesy Photo Thompson’s teaching career has taken her to places as far as Japan, where she taught English as a second language for two years. Pictured from right to left are Thompson’s daughter, Esther Donald-Briggs, Thompson, and Donald-Briggs’ son, Matthew, in 1983 at Lake Toya, Japan.

THE PERFECT HELPER

Thompson says most of her recent community involvement is possible thanks to her daughter, Esther Donald-Briggs, one of Thompson’s five children.

Donald-Briggs has been driving Thompson to places for the past few years.

Donald-Briggs picks up her mother from her house and gets her to where she needs to be every day of the week.

One day could be a drive to take her mother to do embroidery crafts with a knitting group, the next could be an Alpena Ukesters class or a piano performance at one of the care homes.

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Elaine Thompson looks through precious old photos of her late daughter, Judith, at her home on Nov. 1.

It can be a full schedule at times, but it’s one in which she is more than happy to take part.

“I’m the only one here (of my siblings) in Alpena to help,” Donald-Briggs said. “So, I’m going to keep her moving so she doesn’t become a resident (at a care home).”

With all the knowledge Thompson has obtained throughout her years as a teacher and student, she said she would love to either go back to school or start tutoring reading or English again.

“Once a teacher, always a teacher, I guess,” she said.

Meakalia Previch-Liu can be reached at 989-358-5680 or mprevich-liu@thealpenanews.com.

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Elaine Thompson, 91, continues to play the piano to this day. She takes with her a bag-full of musical notes to assist her when she visits care homes to play music. Thompson chooses songs she thinks would be most familiar for residents, like “Have I Told You Lately that I Love You” and “Ave Maria.”

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu In recent years, Elaine Thompson has taken up ukulele lessons with the musical group the Alpena Ukesters. Since joining, she has aquired her own hand-picked ukulele and practices basic chords whenever she gets a chance. The bag shown holds her music notes and displays her handy embroidery work, another hobby of hers.

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