Robert Dee Thompson Sr.'s Obituary
Robert D. Thompson, Sr. was born on August 2, 1924, in Lackawanna, New York to August “Gus” L. Thompson and Constance M. (Moore). He was the youngest of six children. At an early age, he showed an interest in music and singing. Bob was first violin at P.S. 18 Elementary School, and when he was 10 years old, he sang with the Buffalo, NY City Boys Choir. Bob graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in 1942. He remained an avid lover of music, was an accomplished pianist, played the Fender bass, and later in life learned to play the ukulele.
When Bob turned 20 he joined the United States Navy, worked as an Aviation Machinist Mate, and also participated in the Navy’s amateur boxing club. At the end of WWII, he was Honorably discharged from the Navy. On January 26, 1946, Bob married Muriel C. (Blanks) in Orange, New Jersey. They had five children: Robert, Jr., Rhoda, Sarah, Roger, and Sheila. They resided in Buffalo, NY where he attended the University of Buffalo for a short time. In 1952 they moved to Los Angeles, CA–where his father resided–to work in his father’s trucking business.
Keen on education, Bob attended a number of universities. In the 1960s and 1970s he earned a BA of Theology at Life Bible College in Los Angeles, CA; a MA of Psychology; and earned a BA in English from California State University, Los Angeles.
In the late 1960s, while working as a surveyor for Los Angeles County, preparing the way for the expansion of the I-5 CA Highway, Bob also served as the regional district superintendent of education for Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in San Fernando.
He used his creative mind with his hands in many tasks: making tools, as needed, for automobile repairs as a neighborhood mechanic with assistance from his sons and daughters; making artwork in copper; serving in ministry; and at a professional level, working as an engineer at Lockheed Space and Missile Company where he helped develop the mirror for the Hubble Space Telescope. During his tenure at Lockheed as a fulltime numerical control programmer in Burbank, CA, he also ministered to his small congregation at Gethsemane Foursquare Church for five years with his wife as a pastoral team in Pasadena, CA. In the 1970s, Lockheed Martin transferred him to their Moffett Field location to continue his career with them, where he remained until retirement.
Bob devoted his life to many things, things that revealed the deep compassion of his heart for others. A few of those things were: passing out Gideon Bibles, lending his dynamic voice for Bible recordings for the blind and dyslexic, participating in Peninsula Bible Church (“PBC”) plays, and serving as a mentor for people with prosthetics. For 40 years, he and Muriel led Bible study groups, taught Sunday school class, and served as a deacon at PBC in Palo Alto, CA.
He will be remembered for his clever sense of humor and his entertaining story telling; his deep, full voice that filled the room whether he was singing or reading a story to his grandchildren; his unfailing work ethic; his warm smile; and his willingness to help anyone who called. One thing that was undeniable was that Bob had a generous heart.
Robert D. Thompson, Sr.–an Engineer, a pastor, a mentor to many people and a friend to all–died June 15, 2022, at A Caring Place in Fresno, CA with his loving wife of 76 years near him. He was 97. His memory will be cherished and kept alive by his wife, Muriel C. Thompson; his children Dr. Robert D. Thompson, Jr., PhD (Tana L. Thompson), Ms. Rhoda D. Thompson Parhams, Ms. Sarah C. Thompson Blanks, Mr. Roger D. Thompson, Mrs. Sheila C. Thompson Berry (Christopher “Kit” D. Berry); his grandchildren, great grandchildren, great, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
The family wishes to thank A Caring Place Senior Assisted Living for its thoughtful and tender care. Friends are invited to celebrate Bob’s life at the Memorial Service at 1pm at the Peninsula Bible Church, 3505 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto CA 9430
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