THOMPSON, George Gardner

George Gardner Thompson passed away quietly on June 3, 2003 in Fountain Hills, AZ. George grew up in East Liverpool, OH and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1940. He served his country as a veteran of WW II with the US Army. After the war George worked for CV Hills in Trenton, NJ and then US Steel in Fairless Hills, PA. In 1960 made a career change from corporate management to education, first with the Philadelphia Community College and then followed by Rider University. For many years he was an active participant in both the West Trenton Band and the Tri-County Band. Upon retirement he moved west to California (Westlake Village suburb of LA). Apart from George's accomplishments in business and education, his role of father was most prized. From as far back as can be remembered, there were bedtime stories of King Arthur's Court, Prince Valiant, Greek mythology and the Bible. He made the written words come alive as he read and everything became an exciting adventure. As a train enthusiast, he studied their timetables and then took his children out to check on the status of the B&O, the Southern and/or the Erie trains. His children always came first whether it was teaching them to ride a bike; drive a car; umpire Little League games; or spending countless hours going over their homework. George loved that "job" the best. Also, he took such pride in his granddaughters whether it was their educational achievements or sports accomplishments; he was their biggest fan. His positive attitude and unfailing sense of humor enriched the lives of family and friends alike. His tireless efforts and love of people impacted the lives of everyone he touched. George's legacy to his children was the value of hard work and, by example, taught them the importance of being kind to others. This gentle man, who took such joy in his family will be sorely missed. George was preceded in death by his first wife of 43 years, Allene Perillo Thompson and his second wife of 12 years, Tsuruko Sato Thompson. He is survived by two children: daughter Patricia McGoldrick, her husband Dan and granddaughter Shannon Steuart, her husband Scott and great grandson Cole Daniel, from Scottsdale, AZ; Son Stewart Thompson, his wife Hilary and granddaughters Stephanie and Amanda, from Hamilton Square NJ, and Sister Nancy Doak, from East Liverpool, OH. Services are being held at 3:00 p.m. today, Sunday, June 8, 2003, at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Westlake Village, CA. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made to Vista Care Hospice, 4222 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018. To obtain the basic information and/or to leave a message to the family members please visit the website at www.mem.com. Published in The Arizona Republic on 6/8/2003.