Timothy Edward Thompson was born on August 18, 1946 in Inglewood, California, the only son of Laverne “Tommy” Thompson and Mandalie Bulgrin. Generally called “Timmy” by his friends, we all knew him as Thorgrun Odden.
He was always a country boy at heart, as they moved to rural Colorado and then back to southern California. Eventually, the family came north where his father started building homes.
While in a Santa Cruz drugstore, the pretty young clerk caught Tim’s eye. It was mutual, and in no time, Timmy Thompson and Katie Fuhs were a twosome with all the passion and promises of youth. They married on September 9, 1969, just before he joined up with the California National Guard during the Vietnam War years. He also worked alongside his dad, doing carpentry and learning “the trade.”
Life was good. Work was plentiful, and they soon had two children, Josh and Rebekah. However, a family crisis occurred when Bekah was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis while still a toddler. They searched for answers and medical advice from the best in the field, but there was no silver bullet to prevent the life-long pain and crippling that came with her illness.
Thorgrun was always fascinated by American and European history. He began collecting works like the Poetic and Prose Eddas, plus the saga stories based on his own Scandinavian roots. He knew that the family name was changed to Thompson upon arrival in the US. In an old family photograph, a young child identified as his great, great grandfather is where he learned the name that he took for his own. In 1985, Timothy Edward Thompson, became his true self, Thorgrun Edward Odden.
During the early 1980s, Thorgrun came across a magazine advertisement posted by Stephen McNallen with the words “ODIN LIVES!” He signed up for The Runestone but would be many years before the two men would meet at an Asatru Alliance Althing in Wisconsin.
Thorgrun built Katie’s dream home in the forested hills near Santa Cruz where he set up his woodland Vé encircled by redwoods. Strange things happened there. He came back on consecutive days to find the ground torn up at the site where he did ritual. Realizing this was the work of a wild boar, he left offerings and made his troth to Ingvi Freyr. He soon established the Gullinbursti Kindred, using the name of Freyr’s boar.
As Goði of Gullinbursti Kindred, Thorgrun attended an event called “Gathering of the Gothar” at the desert homestead of old-timer Kirby Wise. He came back with vivid details about the event and the assortment of odd characters. This event is where he was officially ordained among other Goðar. His article was published in a 1996 edition of The Runestone, a classic piece you can read today found in the Runestone Library.
During those early years of the Asatru Folk Assembly, Thorgrun was there for the ebb and flow of the AFA. Times like the Kennewick Man era were dynamic and exciting. Other times left us dismayed in our fellow men. Thorgrun was steadfast -- never wavering in his loyalty to the Æsir or the principles of the AFA.
In time, he and Katie moved to Nevada County to live near their daughter’s family. Grandparent-life was great, but times changed after the death of their daughter and the two grandchildren relocated to Reno with their father.
Thorgrun’s last construction project was overseeing the building of the McNallen home in Nevada County. In time, Thorgrun and Katie moved into a travel trailer next to Óðinshof. The mornings were his time to set out sprinklers and do general upkeep. Known for his generosity, clients of our Óðinshof Food Pantry knew they could reach out to Thorgrun when their cupboards were bare. Children of Óðinshof will forever remember him as Papa Yule, the kindly wanderer who would stride through the door, holding his staff and jingling bells. Then he would hand out the wrapped presents amid the excited chatter of little Folk who sat before him.
Significant to those who call Óðinshof home, it was Thorgrun who contacted the realtor who would lead us to the old Grange Hall in Brownsville. That act changed the lives of us all. In the manifestation as the First Hof of the Asatru Folk Assembly, he brought in his towering god-poles, Óðinn – Þórr – Freyr, that finally had a permanent home. Over time, he donated other items to the Hof from his personal collection as a Goði.
Besides fruit trees, Thorgrun planted rare conifers at Óðinshof in an overgrown area next to the cemetery. Through the efforts of our Folkbuilders, it has become a sacred spot now called Thorgrun’s Grove. It already feels like a healing-place with a waterfall and bench for quiet contemplation. We all hoped it would be Thorgrun’s place of recuperation, but that wasn’t meant to be. It will forever be Thorgrun’s place of peace and healing for others.
Thorgrun lived out his last years as an emissary of Freyr, his task to bring abundance, wisdom, and peace to this place he called home. His will-to-live could not override the timing-out of his body. Thorgrun passed to his Ancestors with Katie by his bedside, on July 10th. His Memorial Service took place on his 78th birthday, August 18, 2024.
Alsherjargoði Matthew Flavel wrote a brilliant piece for the August Runestone, one that I’ve shared with many people. He commemorates Thorgrun’s life as an AFA Goði, and also Goði David Byron James who passed through the veil in 2014. Once a Goði, always a Goði. In this world and beyond.
Thorgrun’s Grove will be a main beautification project at Óðinshof for years to come. His spirit and dreams reside there more than any other place. May he continue to inspire us to further the work he began in Miðgarðr.
We appreciate all of the family members who came to celebrate his life: grandchildren Abigail Roth and Benjamin Roth from Reno; Thorgrun’s sister, Cheryll McKowan and her granddaughter Willow; son Josh Thompson and his wife Theresa from Turlock; Katie’s sister-in-law Lola Fuhs , with her daughters, Jessica and DeAnna who drove out from Wisconsin.
Gyðja Sheila McNallen
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