Col. Charles Lee Thompson

Retired USAR Colonel, Charles Lee Thompson, Sr., 60, died Sunday, March 18, 2007. Charles was born in Hattiesburg, MS, moved to Biloxi as a teenager, and was an alumnus of Biloxi High School. A gifted athlete, he played both football and baseball in high school. He earned a B.S. in English and an M.S. in Urban Regional Planning from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was an avid reader, artist, scholar, carpenter, mechanic, chef, and history buff. He was a delight to converse with, possessing an unfathomable knowledge of any subject, an unquenchable thirst for learning, and a great willingness to share his experiences with all. His kind, generous, determined, and rebellious spirit left a lasting impression on those who knew and loved him. A disabled veteran, Charles served in Vietnam in 1968 with the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne as an artillery forward observer. For his service to his country, Charles was awarded three Purple Hearts, the Silver Star for bravery under fire, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. After active duty, he continued to proudly serve his country as a member of the Mississippi National Guard Special Forces unit at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, MS; the USAR 3rd of the 83rd Field Artillery battalion in Laurel, MS (of which he was the Commander from 1986 to 1989) and as a staff officer after obtaining the rank of full Colonel. He retired from the Armed Forces with over 25 years of service. Charles was actively involved in the advancement and promotion of soccer in the Biloxi area serving at the recreational, premier, and high school levels as a coach, referee, head referee, and member of the Biloxi-Keesler Soccer Organization board. For over 15 years, he coached both boys’ and girls’ soccer for the city, taking many of his teams to the state playoffs. He assisted in the formation of several regional girls’ soccer teams and volunteered time to coach the girls’ and boys’ soccer teams at Mercy Cross High School in Biloxi, MS. He is affectionately known as “Coach T” to a generation of soccer players in the Biloxi, D’Iberville, and St. Martin areas. He was a member of Nativity Parish and supported the Nativity Elementary School by decorating booths at the annual Halloween carnival with his artistic designs and by building the deck around the tree in the back school grounds. He further supported Mercy Cross High School by volunteering his time to renovate the Band Hall, maintain the Mercy Cross Band Bus, and chaperone the band for various football games and parades. He was preceded in death by his father, Albert Thompson, Jr. and his grandparents, Albert and Sarah Thompson Sr. of Tennessee and Otis and Myrtle Holcomb of Hattiesburg. He is survived by his wife, Teresa Lawrence Thompson, son and spouse, Charles and Nyanthri Thompson, Jr., daughter, Teresa Rose Thompson, mother, Rosemary Thompson, brother, Gerald Thompson, lifelong friend Glenn Oehms and family and numerous other relatives and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, March 23, 2007, at 11 a.m. at Nativity B.V.M. Catholic Cathedral where friends may visit from 9 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery with full military honors. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes in Biloxi is in charge of arrangements.