George Sprowls Thompson

The Rev. George Sprowls Thompson was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, on the 15th of September 1936. He died peacefully surrounded by family as he was embraced by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Houston on Sunday, the 1st of July 2018.

George was a Southern Baptist minister for 57 years. He started his ministry as Associate Pastor of Calder Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas. He then served as Chaplain of Hermann Hospital and Director of its Department of Pastoral Care. For the last 42 years, his primary ministry has been as a Christian Counselor, serving as the first Director of the Center for Counseling of the Union Baptist Association, then as a co-founder of what is now known as Christian Counselors of Hedwig Village.

In 1958 George graduated from Washington and Lee University. He received his Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Master of Theological Studies from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University. He then trained in Clinical Pastoral Education through the Institute of Religion in Houston. He was a Licensed Professional Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist.

George was a longtime member of Second Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and Director of the Fellowship Class (now known as the Perfect Peace Class). George loved this class and cherished the many friendships that he and Kathy built over the years at Second Baptist.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Brodie and Margaret; and his brother, Dan.

George is survived by his beautiful wife, Kathy (“Sweetness”), the love of his life; by his sons, George Thompson, Jr., MD and wife Ann Marie Glodich, and John Thompson and wife Karen; daughter, Mary (Teal) Thompson; and his three stepchildren, Tim Gregory and wife Sissy, Tam Cooper and husband Carter, and Ted Gregory; brothers, Joe and wife Margot, and Bill and wife Louise; nephews, Dan, Bill and Jim Thompson; nieces, Meg and Angie Thompson. His nine grandchildren are Sara and Jack Thompson, Seth and Tara Thompson-Glodich, Katie and Christi Gregory, and Jonathan, Tyler, and Jack Cooper.

Loving and serving others were the themes of George's life. George had many favorite scriptures which guided his life. Among his favorites were "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) and “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six until eight o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 5th of July, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The memorial service and celebration of George’s life is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 6th of July, in the Sanctuary of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston, where John Barksdale and Brad Goad are to officiate.

Serving as honorary pallbearers during the services are Bill Pielop, Bob Sears, Jerry Brock, Gordon Miller, Tom Houston, Bill Harris, Pete DeGeurin, Willie Carlton and Carroll Kell.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the nearby Deacons Parlor.

Prior to the service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston.