Richard Willis Thompson

Richard Thompson, lovingly known as Richard, Dick, and T, passed away on November 25, 2022. He is survived by his sisters, Glenna and Helen, his beagle, Tucker, numerous nieces, nephews, and Godchildren who stand alongside countless students and friends whose lives he touched. He is preceded in death by his wife, Linda Tice Thompson.

Richard taught in the Carroll County Public School system for nearly 40 years, working at Westminster West Middle School, teaching Language Arts to well over 5,000 students. During his tenure, he created the Summer Enrichment Program, a cross-curricular summer program that allowed students to explore numerous topics in a low-pressure atmosphere, where creativity was key. Since his retirement, where he was honored by decades of past students and loved ones, Richard volunteered at Medfield Elementary to satiate his need to be in a classroom. He had recently expanded his teaching repertoire to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University, where he taught continuing education classes for students 50 and older and where, naturally, his lesson plans entailed classic films such as Ben Hur and A Christmas Carol. Over decades, Richard perfected tying the morals, themes, and lessons illustrated in classic and modern film to his curriculum. Bringing real-world influences into the classroom he won seemingly annual Teacher of the Year Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, the love of his students, and the respect of his colleagues.

Richard had an affinity for all classic cinema, film scores, and spent his life introducing generations of students, family, and friends to the world of the silver screen. Whether it was renting box seats at the historic Senator Theatre for friends and family to see the new Star Wars movie, bringing students for field trips to see A Christmas Carol, or purchasing advanced tickets for a late-opening-night debut of Halloween Ends, Richard was a fixture at the theater. His love of the movies went beyond an appreciation of a summer blockbuster and was a defining part of what everyone loved about him. He would gladly describe becoming a Christian because of the portrayal of Jesus in Ben Hur, and happily play any Miklos Rozsa film score for anyone to hear. He collected memorabilia, posters, and lobby cards to highlight the artistry of Hollywood.

Richard’s love of film was only matched by his love of animals – particularly beagles. His home was a sanctuary for a constant stream of dogs from the Southern MD Beagle Rescue, where he and Linda provided love and care for years. While his home was always echoing with the sounds of happy howling, he made it a point to be dog-sitter extraordinaire and treat any animal with the love of his own, making frequent donations to the MD SPCA.

It should not go unsaid that Richard loved the Lord. He spent the past several years volunteering at the Cathedral Church of the Incarnation. Throughout his life he found both traditional and not so traditional ways of sharing this love, and his final wishes were to share this message in his own way. He requested that the final scene of Ben Hur (The Miracle And Finale) be shared at his service, as he found meaning and inspiration from its message of faith, hope, and renewal.

The family will receive friends at the Burgee Henss Seitz Funeral Home, Inc., 3631 Falls Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21211 on Thursday, December 1st from 3:00-5:00pm and 7:00-9:00pm.

Services will be held at the funeral home on Friday, December 2nd at 10:00am, with the family receiving guests beginning at 9:00am, with a procession to Woodlawn cemetery immediately following. Family will gather for a celebration of life at the Burgee Henss Seitz Funeral Home upon return from the cemetery.