Vincent Edward Thompson

Vincent Edward Thompson passed away peacefully on August 9, 2015. He was born on January 12, 1927 in Aurora, Illinois to parents Vincent Armour Thompson and Ruth Marie Merrill. He grew up in Aurora and later became a distinguished graduate alum for the East Aurora High School. His college plans were interrupted in 1944 when he was drafted into the US Army to serve in World War II. After the war, he returned to college to earn a Juris Doctor degree in 1951. He then returned to military duty to serve with distinction in the Korean War as an artillery commander and he remained on active reserve duty in the Army until 1967. He met his wife of 66 years, Genevieve Bischoff, while in college at the University of Illinois. He and his wife moved to Dallas, Texas in early 1953 with plans for him to practice law. During the one year residency requirement in order for him to sit for the Texas bar exam he found employment with the Republic National Bank. He postponed his law career plans to pursue his passion for banking with Republic that continued for 32 years. During this busy time he raised a family with two daughters and two sons. In 1957 he was a founding administrator of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU where he served for 29 years until 1986. After retirement from banking in 1985, he studied privately and passed the Texas bar exam on the first attempt in 1986 and practiced law for a number of years thereafter. For several decades he was an active adult leader in the Boy Scouts of America, earning numerous exclusive awards, and he was also a director and board member for the Salvation Army. He is survived by his wife Genevieve; daughters Christi Thompson, and Tracy Thompson with her two daughters Alexis and Rachel; and by his sons Reed Thompson with his wife Giovanna, and Sanford Thompson with his wife Michelle and their daughters Geneva, Taylor and Reide. His only surviving sibling is his younger brother Merrill S Thompson. Memorial services will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, August 15, 2015 in the McGowan auditorium at Presbyterian Village North, 8600 Skyline Drive, Dallas, Texas 75243. His final resting place will be the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery at a future date. Donations to the Boy Scouts of America are encouraged in lieu flowers or other gifts.