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William C. Thompson, Jr., passed away peacefully on January 3, 2010 after a brief illness. He was born November 20, 1920 in Florida the son of William C. Thompson Sr. and Gladys Thompson. Born in Florida and moving to Artesia, New Mexico as a young boy, he attended Texas Tech before being called up to service in 1942. As a Captain in the 19th and then 384th Combat Engineers, he landed on Omaha beach on D-Day where he and his men enabled the Allied forces to penetrate the heavy German fortifications and then continued to build the roads through which the allies moved millions of tons of supplies to the advancing forces. After discharge in late 1945, he returned to Artesia, NM where he worked with his father in the Thompson Department Store and managed a number of other businesses. In Artesia, he and his wife Mildred, a home economics teacher, raised four children. Throughout this time he continued with the National Guard in a reserve capacity and in 1965, he took a position with the NM National Guard, overseeing construction and repair of National Guard armories statewide. He was promoted to the NM National Guard state personnel director and retired with a rank of Colonel and moved to Albuquerque. In Albuquerque he enjoyed many years of retirement developing his skills as a proficient woodworker, spending time on golf courses around the city and enjoying the company of the many other retired military officers. He leaves behind his wife Mildred; two daughters, Barbara Pritchard of Seattle, Washington, Marilyn and Maxime Laville of Ferriers, France; and two sons, William C. Thompson III, DVM, and Myra Chang Thompson of Los Lunas, NM and David T. and Lesley Thompson of Park City, Utah; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren will also mourn his loss. Friends may visit French Mortuary, Lomas location, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 8, 2010 at Asbury United Methodist Church 10000 Candelaria Rd NE. Burial will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Should friends desire contributions may be made to the American Lung Association of NM 7001 Menaul Blvd NE Suite 1-A Albuquerque, NM 87110 ( 505-265-0732 ) Please visit the online guestbook for William at www.RememberTheirStory.com French 10500 Lomas Blvd NE (505) 275-3500
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