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 Lawrence
(Larry) Merle Thompson peacefully passed away at his home in
Lititz on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. Formerly residing at 396
Blossom Hill Drive, Lancaster, he lived at Luther Acres Retirement
Community in Lititz for the past 11 years.
Larry was born
in Milo, Maine on September 14, 1923, graduated as valedictorian
from Richmond High School and attended Quoddy Vocational School.
He worked at Presque Isle Air Force Base until serving in the U.S.
Navy as a Radioman 3rd Class on the seaplane tenders,
U.S.S. Suisun and U.S.S. St. George, which was one of the first
ten ships to enter Tokyo Bay following the Japanese surrender
during W.W. II. Larry graduated from the University of Maine with
a B.S. in chemical engineering and was a member of Delta Tau Delta
Fraternity. At his 50th college reunion he was honored
by the Chemical Engineering Department for his contributions to
the field. Upon graduating, Larry was employed by the
pharmaceutical division of Calco Chemical, a division of American
Cyanimide Corporation in Bound Brook, NJ, where he helped in the
development of the drug Coumadin, and then worked as sales
representative for Firestone Plastics Division in Pottstown, PA.
After 25 years of employment, he retired as President of Manheim
Manufacturing and Belting Co., Vice President of Arbee Corporation
with multiple patents to his name in belting manufacturing. Larry
was the owner and operator of the small transmission belting
company, Hexthane Inc. in Lancaster, and consulted for Chemprene
Inc., Beacon, NY.
Larry’s life
was one of commitment to his family, church and community. He
recently celebrated 60 years of marriage with his wife, Anna Laura
(Neidert), formerly of Reading, PA. His family includes son,
Lawrence Thompson, Jr., Esq., husband of Sally (Buck) Thompson,
New York, NY and Fort Myers, FL; daughters Anne Louise (Thompson)
Granfield, Amherst, MA, wife of the deceased James Granfield, Ph.
D., and Lydia (Thompson) Klinger, wife of Marvin Klinger,
Elizabethtown; five grandchildren, Jennifer (Thompson) Meller, Ed.
D., wife of Daniel Meller, Evergreen, CO, Marshall Thompson, New
York, NY, Lesley (Singer) Rollins, wife of Brian Rollins, Raleigh,
NC, and Daniel Klinger and Elizabeth Klinger, both of
Elizabethtown. He is also survived by five cousins of the Hart
family residing in MA, and their families.
A devout
Lutheran, Larry was a long time member, vestryman, church school
teacher and Stephen Minister at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church,
Lancaster, and also served on the Lancaster Council of Churches
for many years. His extensive community service included the
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Society for the Advancement
of Management, President of both the Manheim Township
School District and the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit School
Boards, member of the Lancaster Vo-tech and Stevens Trade School
Boards, and a long time member and President of the Board of WITF
Public Television. His lifelong interest in scouting led him to
serve as a Cub Master and Assistant Scoutmaster of Lancaster Troop
# 99. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow and honored for
his service to the Boy Scouts of America by receiving the Silver
Beaver and Lamb Awards.
Larry was
interested in history, archaeology and genealogy. He held
memberships in the Lutheran Historical Society of Lancaster, the
Gerow Family Foundation, New Paltz, NY, Lancaster Chapter of the
Sons of the American Revolution, a 32nd Degree Mason
and member of Lodge 0062, F. & A.M. of West Reading, PA. His
inquisitive intellectualism guided him in his reading of history,
science and science fiction, playing bridge and traveling for
business and pleasure.
Some of his
fondest memories included Boy Scout trips to Philmont Scout
Reservation in New Mexico, Boy Scout Jamborees throughout the
United States and especially attending the International Boy Scout
Jamboree in Lillehammer, Norway. He took pleasure in traveling
abroad, visiting England and religious places related to Martin
Luther in Germany and to the travels of Paul in Greece, Italy and
Turkey. His fondest memories of traveling included the Passion
Play in Germany, the Hurtigruten fjord cruise in Norway, visiting
the location of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Cumran, Israel, and the
Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. As a Maine man, he enjoyed
trips to his home state, vacationing in Ogunquit, Southport Island
at Boothbay Harbor, and visiting lifelong friends throughout the
state.
Larry was
conservative in his thinking and a truly “Maine Man” who was
reserved, honest, and fair-minded in all of his dealings with
others, taking great pride in his children and grandchildren. As
Dad and Pop Pop, he will be remembered by all of them, and as a
husband and partner of many years, by Anna Laura.
A memorial
service will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2011, at Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, 31 South Duke St, Lancaster, PA 17602 at 11:00
AM. Friends may greet members of the family following the service
at a reception and luncheon in the Fondersmith Parish House
Auditorium. Interment will be at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to the Caring Fund at LutherCare,
600 E. Main St., Lititz, PA. 17543, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
at the above address, or Hospice of Lancaster County., 685 Good
Dr., P.O. Box 4125 Lancaster, PA. 17604-4125
hospiceoflancaster.org. To send an online condolence, please visit
SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder Jr Funeral Home &
Crematory 560-5100 |
