| A Malad Valley native, Ren was born on
August 6, 1926 to George A. and Rose Evans Thomson. Ren and
his brother Roy were the youngest of the Thomsons' nine
children (Ren being 10 minutes older than Roy). Besides Ren
and Roy, the family included Si, George, Melvin, Robert,
Richard, Margaret and Ruth.
The Thomsons lived in Pleasantview, and Ren attended school
there. He was valedictorian of his eighth grade class.
In 1939 the family moved to Malad so the twins could attend
Malad High School. Ren graduated in 1944, and immediately
after graduation, he and Roy joined the Navy. They had
to have their mothers' permission because they were only 17
years old.
They went to basic training in Farragut, Idaho, and then
were sent to Seattle to join a ship's company of 350 men to
commission a ship as a troop transport. Whith the permission
of theri mother, Ren and Roy were assigned to the same ship.
(Permission was needed as the Navy had a rule against
assigning members of the same family to the same ship after a
German torpedo sank a ship carrying five brothers earlier in
the war.)
While Ren was stationed in Seattle, his fiance, Sally
Tapper joined and they were married on November 19, 1944, the
day before he shipped out to the Pacific. Sally returned to
Malad to tell her brother goodbye since he had also joined the
Navy and was shipping out. She subsequently enrolled at
Utah State University.
The troop transport made seven trip back and forth across
the Pacific, carrying troops to the islands and bringing
wounded men back to the United States. They visited nearly
every island in the Pacific Theater. They were in the
first convoy of 60 ships to land at Osaka, Japan after the
treaty was signed to end World War II. Then they sailed
to Hawaii and stayed in Honolulu for 10 days. After going
through the Panama Canal, they arrived in Norfolk, Virginia,
where the ship was decommissioned from active service.
Ren received an honorable discharge from the Navy on February
26, 1946, at Camp Shelton, Virginia.
Ren came home to Malad and Sally then went to work for
Sally's father, Lyle Tapper, the International Harvester
dealer. In partnership with Sally's brother, Lyle, Ren took
over the GM dealership in Malad. The younger Lyle Tapper then
moved to Montpelier, and Ren became the sole owner of Ren's
Chevrolet for 35 years, selling Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles and
Buicks. Ren retired in 1995. He and Sally are the parents of
five children (Craig 'Bones', Margo, Janet, Marc and
Eriv). They have 14 grandchildren and 10
great-grandchildren. They will celebrate their 60th
wedding anniversary in November. 
Ren has been very active in the community as a member of
the Eagles, Elks and American Legion (57 years). He was
a volunteer fireman for 33 years, serving several times a
chief, 10 years as secretary/treasurer and as 'Fireman of the
Year'.
Ren served on the Chamber of Commerce, including one term
as president; and he, along with Dan Sheridan, was
instrumental in starting the Jaycees in Malad. He served
two terms on the Oneida County Fair Board and worked to bring
professional rodeo to Malad. He also served two terms on the
Malad City Council and on the Oneida Hospital Board.
He served on the Idaho Parks and Recreation Board for 18
years and was chairman for a term. He was on the board when it
approved the development of the State Park on the east side of
Bear Lake.
Upon the passing of Elton Ashton, Ren was named the
Veterans Service Officer for Oneida County, a position he
continues to hold today. He was honored to have his picture
represent all veterans of Oneida County on the Veterans Quilt
that was on display at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise
for a short time and will be moved to the U.S. Capitol for
display in Washington, D.C.
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