William Bernard Thompson

William Bernard “Bill” Thompson, age 92, died at Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC on February 22, 2023. He was born on June 11, 1930 in Providence, R.I. to the late Robert Thompson, born September 25, 1898 in Glasgow, Scotland of Scottish and Irish parents, and to the late Mildred Roberts Thompson, born December 12, 1901, in Providence, R.I. of Scottish and French Canadian parents.

Bill achieved much in his life through continued study, hard work and persistence. While challenges he had faced were apparent when he regaled his family with stories of his life, he never failed to bring humor and laughter front and center. Stories of hitch-hiking at age 15 without a penny in his pocket back to R.I. two months after his family had moved to Wisconsin; stories of the “ice truck” and delivering and carrying ice blocks up to 5th floor flats in Providence at age 16, and of flipping old cars for some extra money.

Bill entered the Army at age 17 in September 1947 as a Private in Fort Banks MA, was promoted to Corporal in 1949 in Honshu Japan, completed Officer Candidate School in 1951 at Fort Riley KS, and retired as Lieutenant Colonel in 1974. He received numerous awards and decorations including the Legion of Merit, Army of Occupation (Japan-Germany), Korean Service Medal and UN Service Medal. He seemed to be especially proud of his accomplishments as a student of the Japanese language at the US Army Language School in Monterey, California with 1957 diploma, and later in life his 1984 MBA from Old Dominion University in Norfolk VA, which led to his second career teaching accounting and then many satisfying years of his own CPA practice where he enjoyed both the accounting aspects of the work, as well as being able to genuinely help his small business clients.

Bill’s first request in February 1951 to return to Japan for purpose of marriage to a Japanese national was returned without action by the Department of Army for later resubmission. In September 1951, a resubmitted request was approved. Applicant had by then completed Officer Candidate School in August 1951 and was attending Ordnance Officers’ Courses to be completed by November 2, 1951. Records also noted that Officer had “25 days leave to his credit” and had “sufficient funds to defray all expenses.” Bill Thompson and Fusa Kumai were married on November 21, 1951 in Tokyo Japan.

Bill is now survived by this wife of 71 years, Fusa “Peggy” Thompson of Chapel Hill; three children, Bill Thompson Jr. (Kary Jacobsen) of Escondido, CA, Cathy Thompson (John Hughes) of Durham, NC, and Tom Thompson (Judy) of Orlando, FL; four grand-children, including frequent canasta partners to Peggy & Bill respectively, Ken Thompson (Joey Casey); three great grand-children; cousin Jay Thompson of Jamestown, R.I. and many nieces and nephews, including Ginger Zillgess (Mark) of Chesapeake, VA. Bill was preceded in death by his sisters, Virginia Seward, Doris “Dot” Atchison, Claire Schrofer Mannon, Anna May Fuller, and his brother Robert “Bob” Thompson Jr. who also lived 92 years.

Family and friends will miss his kindness, his sense of humor, his smile, and even his sand-bagging in Canasta when the deck is frozen. His children will miss him always being there for them, no matter what. In his last hospital nights, he spoke of “Now Is the Hour.” The Vera Lynn song then played for him speaks to how “Now is the hour that we must say good-bye.” Some of us are not yet ready for that. We still want to look into those warm blue eyes, talk some more, share a good laugh, and keep the adventures, albeit low-key, going.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill. Interment to follow at St. Thomas More Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Washington D.C. or to Duke Friends of Nursing (DUMC Box 102500, Durham, NC, 27710) for the Duke University Hospital Wound Care Program, in support of geriatric skin care training/treatment.