Richard Thompson (7-3-11)

FLOWERY BRANCH - Richard Thompson, 74, died on Sunday, July 3, 2011.

He was born as the fifteenth child to the late James Monroe and Catherine Mortimer Thompson in Butler, Pa. He graduated from high school in Chicora, Pa. and from Toccoa Falls College. He was an ordained minister and Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Tiger in the late 1960s. He retired from the military after a 20 year career with 10 years Air Force and 10 years Army and was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army. He graduated from the Georgia Police Academy in the late 1980s and retired in the mid-1990s from the Hall County Sheriffs Dept. He was a professional Diamontologist, a Notary Public and also founded, published, and edited “The Piedmont Herald” newspaper in Toccoa. Mr. Thompson spoke five different languages and his hobbies included hunting and fishing.

He earned many awards in his military service including Military Order of St. Barbara, Good Conduct Medal 3rd Award, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Longevity Award, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal and Soldier of the week, month and quarter.

Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Jeanie Thompson, Flowery Branch; daughters and their husbands, Charlene and David Smith, Athens, Catherine and Johnny Harper, Gainesville; sons and their wives, Richard L. Thompson Jr. and Pam, Solomon, Kan., James Edward Thompson and Erin Dowd, Colorado Springs, Colo., O’Neal Edward and Deana Thompson, Winder; son, Jason Wade Fargason, Flowery Branch; grandchildren, Aaron Thompson, Nina Heki, Kristi Bridges, Leslie Thompson, Amanda Hoover, Laura Smith, Megan Keller, Alison Thompson, Brandon Thompson, Cassidy Thompson, Micheal Harper, and Jack Thompson-Dowd; great-grandchildren, Madalyn Keller, Jacob Thompson, Easton Hoover, Brooke Bridges, Allen Bridges, and Aubrey Smith; sisters, Ruth Cygan of Butler, Pa., Juanita Schmeider of Butler, Pa. and Mary Yokem of San Diego, Calif.; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 7, at 11 a.m. at Maranatha Baptist Church in Oakwood with Pastor Rod Bell officiating. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Memorial Park South Funeral Home in Flowery Branch. Interment will follow at Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, with Chaplin Bill Carr officiating at the graveside.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Maranatha Baptist Church Hymnal Fund, 5135 McEver Rd., Oakwood, GA 30566.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home, Flowery Branch, is in charge of arrangements.