Alene Ealy Fresh Thompson, 75, of Portland, Ore., formerly of the Hooker area, died Tuesday at the Providence Hospital in Portland, Ore., following an illness.

Born in Butler on Sept. 20, 1930, she was the daughter of Raymond and Gertrude Ace Ealy.

Alene was born in the family farmhouse prematurely, weighing just three pounds. She was not immediately named as no one expected her to survive, but once being recognized as a fighter, struggling to live, she was named by the assisting neighbors.

She was a member of the St. John Reformed Christian Church of Chicora.

Alene loved to do needlepoint, work word puzzles and listen to country music.

She was valedictorian of the class of 1949 at the former Hooker High School, and lived in Hooker all of her adult life prior to moving to Portland in 1984.

Surviving are two daughters, Cindy Fresh-Davis of Gresham, Ore., and Lori Williams of New Castle; two sons, Bruce Fresh of Bruin and Gary Fresh of Butler; a sister, Alice Scott of Grove City; two brothers, Richard Ealy of Petrolia and Glenn Ealy of Chicora; 13 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Larry Fresh; a grandson, Daniel Fresh; a granddaughter, Nikita Williams; a sister, Helen Jamison; and two brothers, Dale and Paul Ealy.

<B>THOMPSON</B> — Friends of Alene Ealy Fresh Thompson, who died Tuesday, July 4, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in the <B>H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home,</B> Main St., Rt. 38, Eau Claire.Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home with the Rev. Phillip Ealy, her nephew, officiating.Burial will be in the Concord Cemetery, Hooker.