Gale Thomson
Encyclopedia
Anne Gale Kelly Thomson (1919 - March 8, 2010) was the First Lady
of New Hampshire
from 1973 until 1979, and the widow of former Governor
Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Kelly met her future husband, Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
, while she was working as a secretary
at the Edward Thompson Law Book Company. The couple married in 1938 and had six children during their marriage - Peter, David, Thomas, Marion, Janet, and Robb. The family initially resided in Brooklyn and Stony Brook, New York
.
In 1954, Thomson and her husband decided not to raise their family in New York
. They moved with their six children to the Mt. Cube Farm, a 19th Century farmhouse
in Orford, New Hampshire
, in the fall of 1954, where Thomson and her husband lived for the rest of her life.
of New Hampshire in 1973 when her husband took office. She was known to entertain guests with pancakes served with maple syrup
collected at her Mt. Cube Farm in Orford. She remained First Lady until they moved out of Bridges House in 1979. Her husband, Meldrim Thomson, died in 2001.
During her later life, Thomson ran a maple syrup
business based out of her farmhouse
in Orford. She served as a trustee of the Youth Development Center, the Robert Frost Farm in Derry
, and the Vermont
-New Hampshire Visiting Nurse Alliance. She was also a member of the New Hampshire Lilac Commission.
Thomson endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
for U.S. President during the 2008 Republican presidential primaries
.
Gale Thomson died of congestive heart failure
at her home at the Mt. Cube family farm in Orford, New Hampshire
, at 8:15 p.m. on March 8, 2010, at the age of 90. March 8th would have been her husband's 98th birthday. She was survived by her six children, eighteen grandchildren and twenty-eight great-grandchildren. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch ordered all state flags lowered to half-staff
in her honor. Her funeral was held at the Baker River Bible Church in Wentworth, New Hampshire
, on March 13, 2010.
Tributes poured in for Thomson, who remained politically active in her later life. Governor John Lynch called her "a warm and caring individual who will truly be missed." Former Governor John Sununu, who worked closely with both Thomsons, stated, "She was the classic example of the phrase ‘Behind every great man is an even greater woman."
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
from 1973 until 1979, and the widow of former Governor
Governor of New Hampshire
The Governor of the State of New Hampshire is the supreme executive magistrate of the U.S. state of New Hampshire.The governor is elected at the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Vermont, to hold...
Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Meldrim Thomson, Jr. was a Republican who served three terms as Governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979, during which time he became known as a strong supporter of conservative political values....
Early and personal life
Thomson was born Anne Gale Kelly in Brooklyn, New York, in 1919. She was the oldest child of parents William and Anne Kelly. She graduated from high school two years early and took a position with the Edward Thompson Law Book Company, a law publishing company in Brooklyn.Kelly met her future husband, Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Meldrim Thomson, Jr. was a Republican who served three terms as Governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979, during which time he became known as a strong supporter of conservative political values....
, while she was working as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
at the Edward Thompson Law Book Company. The couple married in 1938 and had six children during their marriage - Peter, David, Thomas, Marion, Janet, and Robb. The family initially resided in Brooklyn and Stony Brook, New York
Stony Brook, New York
Stony Brook is a hamlet located in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, which is on the North Shore of Long Island...
.
In 1954, Thomson and her husband decided not to raise their family in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. They moved with their six children to the Mt. Cube Farm, a 19th Century farmhouse
Farmhouse
Farmhouse is a general term for the main house of a farm. It is a type of building or house which serves a residential purpose in a rural or agricultural setting. Most often, the surrounding environment will be a farm. Many farm houses are shaped like a T...
in Orford, New Hampshire
Orford, New Hampshire
Orford is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,237 at the 2010 census. The Appalachian Trail crosses in the east.-History:...
, in the fall of 1954, where Thomson and her husband lived for the rest of her life.
Political life
Thomson became the First LadyFirst Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of New Hampshire in 1973 when her husband took office. She was known to entertain guests with pancakes served with maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
collected at her Mt. Cube Farm in Orford. She remained First Lady until they moved out of Bridges House in 1979. Her husband, Meldrim Thomson, died in 2001.
During her later life, Thomson ran a maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
business based out of her farmhouse
Farmhouse
Farmhouse is a general term for the main house of a farm. It is a type of building or house which serves a residential purpose in a rural or agricultural setting. Most often, the surrounding environment will be a farm. Many farm houses are shaped like a T...
in Orford. She served as a trustee of the Youth Development Center, the Robert Frost Farm in Derry
Derry, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 33,109 people, 12,537 households, and 8,767 families residing in the town. The population density was 924.8 people per square mile . There were 13,277 housing units at an average density of 143.2/km²...
, and the Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
-New Hampshire Visiting Nurse Alliance. She was also a member of the New Hampshire Lilac Commission.
Thomson endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
for U.S. President during the 2008 Republican presidential primaries
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
.
Gale Thomson died of congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
at her home at the Mt. Cube family farm in Orford, New Hampshire
Orford, New Hampshire
Orford is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,237 at the 2010 census. The Appalachian Trail crosses in the east.-History:...
, at 8:15 p.m. on March 8, 2010, at the age of 90. March 8th would have been her husband's 98th birthday. She was survived by her six children, eighteen grandchildren and twenty-eight great-grandchildren. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch ordered all state flags lowered to half-staff
Half-staff
Half-staff is the American term for to describe a flag flying a flag below the summit of the flagpole . The rest of the English-speaking world uses the term half-mast. Technically the flag should be flown one breadth lower to allow for the invisible flag of death...
in her honor. Her funeral was held at the Baker River Bible Church in Wentworth, New Hampshire
Wentworth, New Hampshire
-External links:* * * * *...
, on March 13, 2010.
Tributes poured in for Thomson, who remained politically active in her later life. Governor John Lynch called her "a warm and caring individual who will truly be missed." Former Governor John Sununu, who worked closely with both Thomsons, stated, "She was the classic example of the phrase ‘Behind every great man is an even greater woman."