Marvin Eugene Thompson, 84, of Williamsport, went home to be with his Lord and Savior and to join the love of his life and bride of 64 years, Margaret E. “Dolly” (Weaver) Thompson, on March 3, 2017.
He was a lifelong resident of Pickaway County. He was born to Floyd and Frances (Anderson) Thompson on Oct. 29, 1932.
He attended St. Johns and Clearcreek Community churches.
Marvin was a Korean War veteran, U.S. Army 1952-1954 in the Transportation Company. He was a proud veteran and member of Johnson-Minor American Legion Post 134, where he served as president for many years.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge Hebrew and the Shriners.
He retired from Container Corporation (Jefferson Smurfit), where he worked for 34 years.
He, along with his wife, started and operated Thompson Floats for the next 40 years! At one point they had as many as 30 floats entered in the Circleville Pumpkin Show. They brought joy to many all throughout Ohio and surrounding states with their prize-winning floats.
Marvin was a firm believer in giving back to the community and making it a better place to live. He helped start and worked on the Williamsport and Deercreek emergency squad. He also helped form the Sulphur Springs festival, now known as the Deercreek Dam Days. He served on the board and was a past president of the Ohio Festivals Association. He helped develop Hands for Disabled (formerly known as Easter Seals) and served on the board as president. He was a volunteer with the Pickaway County Foster Care program and Foreign Exchange Student program.
He and his wife had received the Ned Harden Ambassador award for representing Pickaway County. He also received many other awards too numerous to list.
Marvin was a loving husband, father and grandfather who had a passion for building floats, farming, tractors, horses, John Wayne and westerns. He was an honest, hard-working man who will be sadly missed by his family and many friends.
Marvin was preceded in death by his parents; wife; loving daughter, Vickie S. Imler; and sibling, Eileen Worthington.
He is survived by children, Debbie (Ron) Fraley, Dwight Imler, Shirley (Ralph) Smith and Brad (Dawn) Thompson; grandchildren, Bente (Tony) Baldwin, Michelle (Angie) Fraley, Shaun (Crystal) Fraley, Josh (Kama) Kellough, Lindsey Smith, McKensie (Jimmy) Shiplett, Taylor Smith, Dylan, Cody and Corey Thompson; great-grandchildren, Claudia Kellough, Kinley and Jake Whited, Kaleb and Ava Baldwin, Charleigh Fraley, Cecilia Degarmo and Andrew Beale; and special family members, Eric Reed, Debbie Thrasher and Alejandro Garces.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 9, 2017, at the Wellman Funeral Home in Circleville. Officiating pastors are Ted Davis and Ron Fraley. Burial will follow in Hitler Ludwig Cemetery with military honors. Friends will be received from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, 2017, with Masonic service at 7:45 p.m.
Memorial contributions are being accepted at Berger Hospice.
Please send online condolences to www.wellmanfuneralhomes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
