Jackie L. Thompson

Jackie Leroy Thompson, 81, born in Detroit Michigan, passed away Saturday, April 27 of natural causes. He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Maureen McKeighan Thompson, five children, Jack, Michelle, Gianna, Julio, and Dorothy, seven grandchildren, Ashley, Zachary, Jake, Brittany, Alexis, Claire, and Jack, and one great-grandson, Aidan. He also leaves behind his dearly loved brothers Benjamin and Tyrone and his sister Marjorie.

Jack lived a long, remarkable life and left a deep, lasting impression upon everyone he met. He loved playing baseball and was such an exceptional talent that as a young teenager he played on a team with officers from the Detroit Police Department. (Eyebrows were raised around the neighborhood when the police came to pick up Jackie.)

After graduating from Pershing High School, Jack joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served in as a military police officer. It was in the Air Force that he met Maureen McKeighan, who had left her home in Vermont to join the Air Force. They met under unusual circumstances: another officer who had asked Maureen out on a date lied and told her that his name was "Jack Thompson" because he knew Jack was so-well respected. The real Jack met Maureen and asked her if she would like to go out "with the real thing." The two were almost inseparable after that.

Jack was a born giver - he always thought of others before himself, and didn't think twice about it. While heading a household of seven and working as a bus driver for the City of Detroit, he encouraged his wife Maureen to pursue her dream of going to college and to medical school. She did pursue that dream and received her M.D. in 1980, at the age of 44. Jack and Maureen then headed for the sunbelt as Maureen embarked upon her new career, which spanned the next three decades.

Jack was also first and foremost a family man. Given the chance to go anywhere or do anything, he would inevitably want to spend the time with his first family -- cooking barbecue, swapping stories, and playing Whist or "Dirty Hearts."

Jack will be remembered for many other things: his love of children, his great sense of humor, and rich imagination.