Cornelius Ragan “Dickie” Thompson, Jr. passed peacefully from this life into the presence of his Lord and Savior on March 20,2024.

A memorial service and celebration of Dickie’s life will be held at First Baptist Church in Ruston on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at 2pm. A visitation will be held in the sanctuary from 12pm until the time of service. Dickie’s celebration of life will be officiated by Dr. Chris Craig, assisted by Rev. Clayton Owens and Rev. Josh Sanderson, with special music by Phillip and Alnita Carroll.

Dickie was born in Ruston on May 5, 1929, to Cornelius Ragan “Dick” Thompson Sr. and Mittie Mae Bowman Thompson. He was a graduate of Ruston High School and Louisiana Tech University, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

During his tenure at Louisiana Tech, he was drafted by the US Army and proudly served in the Korean War for two years.

After he returned from Korea, Dickie married the love of his life Melba Jean Odom from Norphlet, Arkansas.

In 1968 Dickie graduated from Barber School where he followed in his father’s footsteps, cutting hair at Thompson’s Barber Shop and retiring in 2010 at the age of 80. After retiring, Dickie could be found volunteering by giving haircuts in area nursing and funeral homes.

Dickie loved First Baptist Church in Ruston where he faithfully served in various capacities including, Royal Ambassador Leader and Deacon. In his later years, he found great joy in making the coffee on Sunday mornings and greeting attendees.

Dickie was preceded in death by his parents Dick Thompson Sr and Mittie Thompson along with his sister Jane Thompson Price and a half-sister Dot Thompson Bawcom.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years Melba Thompson of Ruston, His daughter, Teri Thompson Schalewski and husband Mike from Bossier City; Sons, Scott Thompson and wife Rita of Ruston; Russ Thompson and wife Ann of Ruston; Clay Thompson and wife Laura, of Argyle, Texas.

His seven grandchildren, Greg Thompson and wife Jennifer; Cole Thompson and wife Kalen; Mary-Arthur Plette and husband Michael; Andie Thompson, Hunter Thompson and fiance’ Maura Haydin, Henry Thompson, Luke Thompson, and four great-grandchildren, Grant Thompson, James Thompson, Lucy Plette, and Sam Plette.

The Thompson family would like to extend a special thank you to our dear friend and caretaker Toni Lathon. We also would like to thank the staff and nurses at The Arbor and Terrace, Premier Hospice, and Phillip Carroll and his rehabilitation team at Reeves Memorial Medical Center.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church Children’s Building fund.

 These are some things that we believe Dickie would want you to know today:

1.  That he, and all of mankind, are sinners, in desperate need of the hope of Jesus Christ.

2.  Salvation is freely given to you by Christ’s sacrificial death, but it is a gift that must be accepted.

3.  Through his daily readings, active prayer life, and faithfully serving his family, friends, and church, he sought to progressively and          continually know Christ and finish his race well. He would want you to keep running your race, too.

4.  That God is bigger than any pain, sadness, loss, or grief that you may be facing today.

5.  God did not leave us nor forsake us at the end of Dickie’s life; He has numbered our days before the beginning of the earth, and Dickie is in the presence of Jesus today.

6.  Although we grieve, we do not grieve without hope. What a glorious promise we have in Him!

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com

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