Dr. George Richard Cunliffe Thompson, Jr. died Jan. 3, 2014, just a few months short of turning 100.
Dr. Thompson attended the College of Charleston, graduating with a B.S. in Medicine, followed by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at Charleston, earning a Doctorate of Medicine in 1939. His internship was at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, followed by internship and residency at James Walker Memorial Hospital in Wilmington. He received his Fellowship degree in 1973 from the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Thompson began his private practice of medicine in Wilmington in 1942. He was also Medical Examiner for employment at several companies, including the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company and Babcock and Wilcox Boiler Company. Dr. Thompson was a member of the Attending Staff at James Walker Memorial Hospital and New Hanover Memorial Hospital until his retirement. He went into the medical field to help others, his mother’s secret wish and hope for her son realized. He loved his work and took great pride in it. One of Dr. Thompson’s joys in life was delivering babies and thus bringing life to families. He enjoyed this practice until his retirement in 1988.
In the 1940s and 1950s Dr. Thompson played baseball for the Shriners to raise money for the Shriners Burn Center and he spent vacations volunteering in the Shriners Children’s Clinic. His hobbies included fishing, woodworking, gardening, gemology and collecting clocks.
Dr. Thompson was a life member of the following: New Hanover Pender Medical Society, North Carolina Medical Society, American Medical Association, North Carolina Academy of Family Practice, Alumni Association of the College of Charleston, Alumni Association of the Medical University of South Carolina, Phi Rho Medical Society and Mariner Lodge (Masonic) Charleston. Other memberships included Scottish Rite, York Rite, Arab Shrine Club and the Sudan Shrine Temple, the latter of which he was Associate Medical Examiner for 43 years, from 1961 to 2004.
He was born April 23, 1914, in Charleston, S.C. to G.R.C. Thompson, Sr. and Marie Hopke Thompson. He was the fourth of five children, preceded in death by George Rudolph Thompson, Marie Thompson Smith and Louis Franklin Thompson and is survived by his younger sister, Ruth Thompson Hill.
Dr. Thompson was preceded in death by his wife, Willadean Fogle Thompson, with whom he had three children, Richard Thompson (Kay), Janis Milliken (John) and R.J. “Jimmy” Thompson (Lona). He is survived by his grandchildren, Rustina Sharpe (Rob), Christina Monroe (Scott), Amber Schneider (Donny), Clif Thompson (Rachel), Jay Thompson (Emily) and Tilia Thompson and great-grandchildren, Caleb, Avery, Alex, Blair, Jace, Linc and Lily.
He is also preceded in death by wife, Loyce Freeman Thompson, with two daughters, Betty Smith (Charles), who preceded him in death and Barbara Rooks (Richard). He is survived by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren from this marriage.
Dr. Thompson was preceded in death by his last wife, Blanche Moore Thompson and is survived by her three children, Johnny (Linda), Ronnie and Elizabeth Moore. He is survived by six grandchildren from this marriage and numerous great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express a special thank you to Lona Thompson, Rachel Thompson and Christina Williams for their loving care. They would also like to add their gratitude to Dr. William Buchanan and his family and to Dr. Sandra Miles, who were like family to Dr. Thompson, as well as to Dr. Raja Bhat for his longtime care and devotion.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Donor Development, International Headquarters, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607 or to MUSC Foundation, Alumni Scholarship Program, 18 Bee Street MSC 450, Charleston, SC 29425.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, at Andrews Mortuary, 1617 Market Street in Wilmington, NC. The memorial service will occur at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, at Andrews Mortuary. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery with St. John’s Masonic Lodge #1 according honors.
Condolences to the family at www.andrewsmortuary.com.
To view the most recent listing of PortCityDaily obituaries, click here.
