Terry Pat Thompson

Terry was born to Milford and Sue Thompson of Abilene, Texas, on August 10, 1938. His family moved to Houston, TX, in 1947, where he graduated from Lamar High School and the University of Houston. At U of H, Terry lettered in football and debate, won the Barksdale Stevens Award for student government, and was a member of the Masked Players, acting in such roles as Bo in William Inge’s Bus Stop.

Terry served in the United States Army as a medic and was a reserve officer in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corp. From 1963 to 1966, he was employed by Houston Independent School District where he coached and implemented a successful, federally funded, pilot project entitled “Talent Preservation” which focused on keeping low functioning students in school until graduation.

In September of 1966, Mr. Thompson was hired by Northern Systems Company, Inc., to administer federally funded training programs for operations in Houston, TX, and Washington, DC. In October of 1968, he joined Brown & Root, Inc., where he served as Manager of the Personnel Training and Development Department; he progressed to Chief Administrative Officer in December, 1983. Terry developed the first nationally recognized training system for the construction industry; it continues to be in use today. He served in various city, state, and national organizations such as the Association of Builders & Contractors Merit Shop Foundation, Governor’s Highway Construction Training Advisory Committee, and Texas A & M College of Education Advisory Council.

In April of 1987, Thompson joined Bell Helicopter Textron, Ft. Worth, TX, as Consultant of Management & Organizational Development advancing to Director of Employee Benefits, Safety, & Insurance. At Bell Helicopter, Terry was proudest of conceptualizing and implementing cost containment ideas that reduced health care costs by over $90 million while maintaining excellent relations with Bell’s union employees.

In August of 1999, Mr. Thompson retired from Bell Helicopter and became a full-time rancher, establishing his beloved Fair Winds Farm in Jacksonville, Texas, where he raised cattle, horses, donkeys, and rescued lost dogs and an occasional injured bunny or squirrel. His happiest years were spent on that ranch with his beloved wife, his grandchildren, and their J’ville buddies.

Terry always prided himself on being a teacher. It didn’t matter whether he was teaching his caregivers about the D-Day landing in Normandy, his children American history (whether they wanted to learn it or not), his grandchildren numerous important facts of life (such as don’t run the Gator into a ditch), or his wife the real meaning of love—he did so both earnestly and lovingly because he found so much joy in learning. In the last weeks and days of his illness, he taught all who met him the true meanings of courage, grace, and dignity.

Because of his strong faith in God, Terry was very comfortable with his process of death and is now WALKING in heaven with his precious Lord. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Sharon Ross Thompson; his son Tommy Thompson and wife Lana of Sugar Land, TX; his daughter Tara Roe and husband Keith of Boerne, TX. He is also survived by his four beloved grandchildren: Hannah Roe of Dallas, TX, and Sydney Roe of Boerne, TX; Tyler Thompson and Brooke Thompson, both of Sugar Land, TX. Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Michael Leroy Thompson. Terry fought a long, debilitating battle with poly-neuropathy and eventually died from complications caused by the disease. There will be a private memorial ceremony on Fair Winds Farm in Jacksonville, TX. We would especially like to thank Alamo Hospice and Always Best Care of San Antonio for the incredible care and friendship that they gave to both Terry and our family over the past seven months.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/san-antonio-cremation for the Thompson family.