Thompson

"Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity." Mother Teresa

The loving and gentle soul of John Thomas Thompson passed on to the heavenly world early Monday morning, June 2, 2008, at Springwood Care Center of Forsyth, N.C. He died peacefully in his sleep, knowing that he would be joining the love of his life for 66 years, his wife, Elmira Louise, "Toots" Thompson.

John was a charter member of the "The Greatest Generation," who dedicated his life from an early age to the patriotic duties of defending his country and devoting himself to the care of his family.

He was born in Butler on June 4, 1916, to the late William F. Thompson and Goldie E. Thompson Gallaher.

John enlisted in the Navy in Pittsburgh in 1934, before he graduated from high school, and was assigned to the USS Chicago based in Norfolk, Va. After three years of duty aboard the Chicago, he was discharged. The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, he re-enlisted in the Navy. John served as a recruiter in Pittsburgh for 14 months, and during this time he recruited his brother, Bill, and his cousin, Howard "Hud" Renforth, into the Navy as well.

He transferred to the USS Cabot in 1943 and attended the Fleet Stenography School in Newport, R.I., where he advanced to chief yeoman. Subsequently, he served aboard the USS Croatan and was an instructor for the Yeoman Class A school in San Diego, Calif. Chief Thompson served as an admiral's writer to Commander Naval Forces Western Pacific in Tsingtao, China, in 1947 and served aboard the USS Estes, USS Eldorada, and the USS St. Paul.

John was assigned to Vice Adm. Oscar C. Badger and accompanied Adm. Badger to his next assignment as commander, Eastern Sea Frontier, New York, N.Y., and Navy Representative to the United Nations. From 1950 to 1953, he was a Yeoman instructor in both Norfolk, Va., and San Diego, Calif. It was during this tour of duty that he attended the U.S. Naval School of Justice, Newport, R.I., and rewrote the school's curriculum, changing it from the U.S. Naval Courts and Boards to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

In September 1954, he was ordered to the Joints U.S. Military Advisory Group in the Republic of Philippines in Manila, where he served until 1955.

His last tour of duty was at the Pentagon in the Office of Naval Operations and the Bureau of Naval Personnel, where he served as a programmer, systems analyst. During this time, he finished something he started back in 1931-he received his high school GED certificate.

Chief Thompson retired in 1971 with 34 years of military and government service.

During the time of his military service in 1939, John married Elmira Louise Potts and had a son, John Blaine Thompson. They traveled extensively with him when allowed, but there were many separations. Through it all, they remained a loving and close family with many extended family members, military friends and close neighbors being included as integral parts of their lives.

After military service, John and his family settled in Alexandria, Va., where John and Toots lived for 40 years until they relocated to Winston-Salem, N.C. to be with their son and his family. "Grandpap" was so happy to be near his devoted grandchildren, Jane and Chris, and their families.

John was preceded in death by his loving wife; his parents; his stepfather, Jesse Blaine Gallaher; a brother, William "Bill" F. Thompson; and a sister, Hester Thompson Stahura.

He leaves behind a grateful and loving son, John Blaine Thompson and his wife, Judith; two grandchildren, Jane Louise Thompson Ciener and her husband, Greg, and John Christopher Thompson and his wife, Suellen; five great-grandchildren, Caroline E., Katharine Jane, and Elizabeth A. Ciener and Macy E. and John Blaine Thompson, II; a sister-in-law, Shirley A. Thompson of Germanton, Md.; a cousin, Howard "Hud" Renforth of Ponte Vedra, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle John.

He will be loved and remembered as a generous, caring, funny, genuine person who loved his country, family and friends. He loved sports, particularly baseball and his Pittsburgh Pirates, and loved to tell jokes and laugh.

He was a member of the Centenary United Methodist Church; a charter member of the Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 217, Winston-Salem, N.C.; the National Chief Petty Officers Association; and his name and sea service information are included in the Navy Log at The United States Navy Memorial and in the National WWII Memorial Registry in Washington, D.C.

Dad, Grandpap, we will miss you eternally, but we know you are grateful to have lived a good life on this earth and happy to be in the arms of God and your loving family who have gone before you. We love you.

<B>THOMPSON </B>—<B> </B>Funeral services for John Thomas Thompson, who died Monday, June 2, 2008, will be 3 p.m. Thursday in the chapel with interment in the Columbarium at Centenary United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Rainey officiating.Online condolences can be made at www.journalnow.com.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable donations be made to The Armed Forces Foundation, 16 N. Carolina Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 (www.armedforcesfoundation.org), or Hospice and Palliative Care of Winston-Salem, N.C.