Robert Edward Thompson, beloved father, grandfather and friend, succumbed to a rare and aggressive sarcoma on Jan. 20, 2023. He was 76 years old.
Bob is survived by his siblings, Barbara, Chuck and Suzanne; his daughter Elizabeth and son Gregory; and his grandchildren, Madeleine, Liliane, Maisie, Charlie and Jillian. His high school sweetheart and wife of 46 years, Nancy, died in 2015.
The son of Dorothy and Charles Thompson, Bob was born in the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois in 1946. Their family moved frequently, following Charlie’s Naval service in Quantico, Va.; Hayward, Calif.; Ithaca, N.Y., and Beaufort, S.C. Bob graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in New Jersey and attended the University of South Carolina as a history major on an NROTC scholarship.
He wanted to be a gunsmith, but sold his cherished rifle collection to purchase Nancy’s engagement ring, and they married in 1969. Bob completed Naval Aviator training in 1970 and went on to serve Helicopter Pilot Squadron Eight and Antisubmarine Squadron Five. He resigned from the Navy in 1974. He later served in the Navy and Army reserves, proud to have earned wings in both services.
Bob always said he learned everything about sales working after school and Saturdays at Wright’s Hardware in Haddonfield. He continued to build on those skills, becoming a competitive and successful salesperson at Beech Aircraft, Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft before a 26-year career selling corporate jets at Dassault Falcon Jet.
Bob’s love of flying continued after retirement, first gliding at the Philadelphia Glider Council and then flying his much-loved Piper Archer, which he kept at Pennridge Airport. He would gladly take anyone who expressed interest up for a flight. When Bob’s illness progressed to the point he had to sell the Piper, he was grateful when his good friend Michael purchased it. To Bob’s delight, they were able to fly together a few more times.
Gunsmithing was a favorite hobby, and he found wonderful friends in retirement with whom to share weekly target shooting and sporting clay outings. Bob loved sailing too, teaching his kids how to sail a Sunfish on their annual Lake Dunmore, Vt., vacations and eventually owning a Tartan 45 he kept on the Chesapeake. He was thrilled to spend lots of time back on Lake Dunmore this past summer, where he and his family have shared decades of joyful memories. The wooden rowboat he painstakingly built by hand will grace the lake forever.
Bob married Gail Howard in 2017 and they enjoyed several “bucket list” trips together, including a safari in Africa and a trip to Machu Picchu. He made fast friends in their Oakland Ave. neighborhood.
Steadfast and quietly generous beyond measure, Bob’s friends and family benefited from his woodworking and mechanical skills and his readiness to share expertise. He always had his current reading book on hand. He enjoyed connecting acquaintances with each other and he loved a good conversation. He adored his grandchildren beyond measure.
Bob was stoic in his approach to his cancer, and he focused on appreciating his full and fortunate life. He valued his family and friends and cherished their visits and calls these past few months. He leaves us all with memories, laughter and tears.
An informal memorial gathering will be held at the James-Lorah House in Doylestown, Pa., on Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The family requests contributions to the Lake Dunmore Fern Lake Association in Robert Thompson’s honor, online at ldfla.com or by mail to LDFLA, P.O. Box 14, Salisbury, VT 05769.
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