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November 15, 2007
In Memoriam - Jack Thompson
Dr. Jack Thompson, who died recently in Naples, Florida, was one of the great benefactors of the Frances Willson Thompson Library, which was named in honor of his mother. He was born in Flint in 1918, and was a prominent and civic-minded member of the community.
We are ever grateful for the role he played in making the Thompson Library what it is today, and we will miss Dr. Thompson's visits here when he was in town.
The Flint Journal ran a nice article about Dr. Thompson on September 20:
The generosity of Dr. Jack W. Thompson and his family through the decades has been so profound and pervasive that their names are an integral part of the Flint landscape.
When it came to giving, Thompson, who died Sept. 9, and his late wife, Virginia, concentrated their resources in some of the very best Flint has to offer. The long list notably includes the University of Michigan-Flint, the Flint Institute of Arts and the Flint Institute of Music, all of which have helped to sustain Flint as a quality city during its most difficult years.It seemed whatever the couple took personal delight in, they wanted to share with others, and did so by reaching out with their financial resources. Thus as they became avid and accomplished pottery artists under the tutelage of the FIA, so they returned the favor in the form of sizable donations through the years, even after they moved away in retirement..
As learning, culture and writing were among the driving forces in their lives, so the family supported UM-Flint in a multi-generational pattern. UM-Flint's Frances Willson Thompson Library is named in honor of Dr. Thompson's late mother, as is the university's Critical Issues Forum, which brings celebrity intellectuals to Flint yearly.
When Dr. Thompson retired from medical practice in the specialty of obstetrics, the couple relocated to Florida, free to indulge in their love of birding and nature. Typically, they extended their support to relevant organizations.
Even though many institutions bear the Thompson name, those who knew him well remember him as much more than a benefactor willing to share some of his wealth. He is equally remembered for his civility and kindness, which is the great part of his immense legacy, without which his financial generosity would not have been possible.
R.I.P.
Posted by pgstreby at November 15, 2007 10:30 AM