William Horace Thompson

     William “Bill” Horace Thompson, 85, of Marion, NC, passed away Thursday, March 13, 2025, at his residence.

     Bill was born in Beaufort County, North Carolina, on December 26, 1939, to the late Nell Moore Thompson. He served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force for 16 years, and served in Special Ops during the Vietnam War. Bill was an extremely gifted man who spent the rest of his career as a highly successful executive in the telecommunications industry. Bill and his wife Pat loved to travel across the globe to numerous places such as Bermuda, Hawaii, Germany, Canada, Oklahoma, Alaska, and all over the southwest. They lived in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, and in his final days settled in with his sister, Jonelle who cared for him until the Lord took him home. He was such a loving and humorous man and will be sorely missed.

     Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Jean Thompson; his son, Eric Wayne Thompson; his mother, Nell Moore Thompson; a sister, Jean Boykin; and brothers-in-law, Charlie Stewart, Carroll Stewart, Lloyd Stewart, Jerry Stewart, Albert Crane, and James Earl Daniels.

     He is survived by his sisters, Mary Ella Crane, Jonelle T. Daniels, and Frances T. Johnston; nieces, Diana D. Scherb (Gregg), Lisa D. Ellis (Patrick), Beth Graves (Jonathan), Anne Crumpler, and Nancy Petty; nephews, James Jason Daniels (Mary Beth), Albert Crane IV (Jennifer), and Donald Stewart; his grandson, Eric Wayne Thompson, II; great nieces, Madalyn M. Davis, Carmen O. Daniels, and Kathryn Jordan (Joey); great nephews, Austin K. Gardner, Adam T. Davis (Christine), J. Colby Gardner, J. Connor Daniels (Lexey), and Billy Petty (Katy); a great-great niece; Lucille June Davis; and great-great nephews, Charlie Graves, Harrison Crane, Brody Jordan, Blake Petty, and Caden Petty.

     A graveside funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 24, 2025, at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC. Pastor Rob Warren will officiate. Military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Air Force.