Virgil Avery Thompson

Virgil Avery Thompson, 93, of Asheville, died Sunday, February 12, 2006, at a local hospital. Mr. Thompson was born on March 14, 1912 in Sheffield, AL and was the eldest son of the late Sarah Lovelace and Robert Avery Thompson. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Edie Brady Thompson, as well as four siblings. Mr. Thompson served in the US Army and was a World War II veteran. Following his time in the service, he became a high school science teacher and went on to work as an entomologist with the US Department of Agriculture. He and his wife lived in Lumberton, NC for 40 years before moving to Crescent View Retirement Community in Arden in 1999. Mr. Thompson sang with the Crescent View Singers and played the lap dulcimer. He also took pride in his extensive volunteer work. Mr. Thompson is survived by one son, Bob Thompson and his wife, Mary, of Asheville; one daughter, Sarah T. Lamont and her husband Ray, of Albuquerque, NM and one sister, Amanda T. Humphries, of Florence, AL. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 16, 2006, at the Lutheran Church of the Nativity with the Reverend Pastor Sara Ilderton and the Reverend Ernest Ridenhour officiating. Interment will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday at Riverside Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Lutheran Church of the Nativity on Thursday following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to The Lutheran Church of the Nativity (Youth or Music Departments), 2425 Hendersonville Road, Arden, NC 28704 or to the Park Ridge Hospital Foundation, PO Box 1569, Naples Road, Fletcher, NC 28732.