Robert Thompson of Naples, FL, formerly of Fairfield, CT and Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on March 31, 2020. He was born in Salisbury, MD on July 13, 1932 to the late William and Ada (Abbott) Thompson and his family moved to Wilmington, DE in 1938 where he spent most of his young life.
Bob graduated from the Henry C. Conrad High School in Wilmington, DE and graduated from the University of Delaware where he earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Cornell University. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Delaware. He also served two years in the United States Navy during the Korean War.
His working career began at the Thiokol Chemical Corporation in Elton, MD as a Rocket Propulsion Engineer in the early days of Sputnik.
In 1965, he and his growing family moved to Fairfield, CT after he accepted a management position with the Engineering Department of the Lycoming Division of the AVCO Corporation and later Textron Lycoming in Stratford, CT where he progressed through several executive positions.
In 1981, he joined the Nash Engineering Company in Norwalk and Trumbull, CT from where he retired in 1997 as Vice President of Management Information Systems.
During his years in Connecticut, he served on the Fairfield PTA, the Board of the Fairfield YMCA as well as the Greater Bridgeport YMCA and as a member of the Technical Advisory Committees for the City of Norwalk and Town of Trumbull.
Bob was predeceased by his son, Robert Thompson, his daughter, Daria Thompson and his son-in-law, Glenn Ramos.
He is survived by Jane McGovern, his loving partner and best friend of many years, and their beloved canine companion, Danny. He is also survived by the mother of his six children, Frances Thompson, his daughters, Donna Tierney and her husband, Michael, Paula Ramos and her husband, Gregory Cowling, Pamela Taylor and her husband, Robert Taylor, and his son, Bryan Thompson and his wife, Virginia Lillicraf Thompson, and his beloved grandchildren Sean Tierney and his wife, Lauren, Lauren Tierney Gau and her husband, Andrew, Austin and Jacqueline Ramos, Megan, Riley and Quinn Thompson as well as two step-grandchildren, Rhys and Aidan Cowling. He is also survived by his four great grandsons, Reid, Gavin and Brooks Tierney and Harlan Gau and a dear friend of the family whom he loved like a daughter, Colleen Fries.
His greatest joy in life was spending time with his family. Known as Pop-Pop, he is deeply loved by all and we will cherish our memories forever.
Services will be private. Memorial contributions may be made in Bob's honor to Avow Hospice, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105.
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