MIMS, Fla., and TROY – Earl “Slim” Smart Thompson Jr. died Dec. 21, 2007, with his daughter by his side, at Parrish Medical Center, Titusville, Fla., after a massive stroke. He was born Dec. 16, 1920, in Holbrook, Mass., the son of Earl Smart Thompson Sr. and Beatrice Maude Vroom Thompson. After the family moved to Maine, he was educated in Troy and Unity schools. He worked for the Civilian Conservation Corp in the Bar Harbor area from the age of 16 to 19, when he entered the Coast Guard and served his country until he was 26. While stationed in New Jersey, he met his wife of 42 years, Margaret Carels, who has awaited his arrival in heaven since 1986. A consummate hard-worker and fine craftsman, he was employed by Ethan Allen, formerly Reynold’s Brothers, Burnham, for many years. After his retirement, he spent a few years working part-time at Maine Fence, Pittsfield and was able to focus on his passion of tending his vast vegetable gardens, which he did right up until this past November, prior to his departure for his Florida winter home. It brought him great joy to share the harvested vegetables with neighbors and family. In addition to his green thumb and woodworking skills, he was admired for his inventiveness, ingenuity and problem-solving ability. He loved playing cribbage and camping with his family, and would often combine the two by provoking cribbage tournaments at the campground. He was loved by his “park family” as a shuffle board champion at Holiday Village Park, Mims, Fla. They will reportedly miss the ability to gauge whether they need a warm jacket, by whether or not he was wearing a shirt. An avid hunter and fisherman in Maine, he also loved to go fishing and shrimping while in Florida. Slim was an active member of the American Legion, Benjamin Berry Post No. 50, where he took pride in continuing to march the entire parade route at the age of 86. He was also a member of Star in the West Masonic Lodge No. 85 and a lifetime member of Seven Star Grange, Troy. In addition to his loving wife, he was predeceased by his parents; his three brothers, Fred Thompson, Elmer Thomp-son and Albert Thompson; sisters, Jessie Mitchell, Audrey Ward and Arlene Knight. He is survived by his companion of 20 years, Irene Braley and fam-ily; sisters, Priscilla Maugle of Mims, Fla., and Dorothy Mitch-ell of Troy; sons, Richard Earl Thompson of Redding, Calif., and Walter F. Thompson Sr. and wife, Dora, of Troy; daughter, Sharon Spaulding and husband, Donald Lee Spaulding, of Troy; the families of his grandchildren who adored him and gave him 12 great-grand-children, Lisa Cote of Winslow, Amy Simpson of Londonderry, N.H., Darren Spaulding of Lawton, Okla., Wendi Willette of Winslow, Walter Fred Thompson Jr. of Knox and Dean Spaulding of Troy; many nieces and nephews. The family invites all to join a celebration of his life 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, at the American Legion Hall, Unity. There will be a spring burial at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, Augusta. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to The American Legion, BB Post No. 50, P.O. Box 5, Unity, ME 04988 or Hospice of St. Francis, 1250-B Grumman Place, Titusville, FL 32780.
EARL ‘SLIM’ SMART THOMPSON JR.
