Richard Thompson

Mr. Richard Thompson, age 74, of Flowery Branch, GA passed away on Sunday, July 3, 2011.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 11:00 am at Maranatha Baptist Church in Oakwood. Pastor Rod Bell will officiate. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Memorial Park South Funeral Home in Flowery Branch. Interment will follow at Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, GA. Chaplin Bill Carr will officiate at the graveside.

Mr. Thompson 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, GA in the late 1960's. He retired from the military after a 20 year career with ten years Air Force and ten years Army and was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army. He graduated from the Georgia Police Academy in the late 1980's and retired in the mid-1990's 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 GA. 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 Acheivement Medal and Soldier of the week, month and quarter.

Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Jeanie Thompson of Flowery Branch; daughters & their husbands, Charlene & David Smith of Athens, GA, Catherine & Johnny Harper of Gainesville, GA; sons & their wives, Richard L. Thompson Jr. & Pam, Solomon, KS, James Edward Thompson & Erin Dowd of Colorado Springs, CO, O'Neal Edward & Deana Thompson of Winder, GA; son, Jason Wade Fargason of 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, CA and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

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, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, GA 30542 is in charge of arrangements. 770-967-5555.

Send online condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com