Larry Verne Thompson

He was born on May 20, 1939, in Topeka, Kansas to Leslie Verne Thompson and Lorraine Iris Hummer Thompson. They resided variously in Topeka, Wichita, Kansas City, Garnett, and Ulysses, where Larry graduated high school in 1957.

He received a scholarship to Washburn University in Topeka, completed his freshman year, and then on December 28, 1958, married his high school sweetheart, Betty Louise Reusser. They returned to college at Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia where Larry double-majored in History and English and graduated with Honors in 1962. While there Larry became a charter member of the college’s chapter of Blue Key, a national service fraternity.

He went on to undertake graduate study in European History with a specialization in Modern German History at the University of Nebraska and completed this degree in 1964. Ultimately, he received a Doctorate degree in Modern German History with a research focus on the Third Reich, World War II, and the Holocaust from the University of Wisconsin in 1967. He accepted a position as Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha Campus for the 1967-1968 academic year.

In 1968, he moved the family to Annapolis, Maryland, where he had accepted a faculty position as Assistant Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. During his tenure at the Academy, he chaired the history department for four years, led the effort to establish the Honors Program, directing it for six years, and chaired the Faculty Library Committee for twelve years. He received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1986 and the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award in 1997. His past institutional service included the Civilian Faculty Affairs Committee, Faculty Forum, Middle States Accreditation Reviews, and the Admissions Board.

His lectures, research focus, and journal and book publications centered on Central European History, with an interest in National Socialist Germany, the Holocaust, German imperialism in Poland during World War II, and German military influences in South America before and after World War I. During the 1980s and 1990s, he enjoyed leading midshipmen on academic enrichment trips to Germany. Through his association with the Holocaust Educational Foundation, he and other scholars were afforded the opportunity to tour significant areas of Eastern Europe. He was selected as the first exchange professor to represent the Naval Academy at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England during 1980-1981. Larry retired in 2003 from the US Naval Academy as Professor Emeritus after 35 years of academic service.

Post-retirement activities included involvement with the Anchorage community board, volunteerism at the Light House in Annapolis, and Appalachian home service projects in West Virginia. He enjoyed playing golf, traveling internationally, attending shows at the Colonial Players Theater, and spending time with friends in the Romeos and Juliets and at the Annapolitan Club.

Larry is survived by his beloved wife Betty of 62 years; his sister, Linda (Kenneth) Warburton of Laguna Niguel, CA; his two children, Kimberly (Ronald) Sadtler of Forest Hill, MD and Kenton (Jaclyn) Thompson of Annapolis, MD; grandchildren, Jennifer List (Earl Lee), Sierra Sadtler, Garrett Sadtler and Miranda Sadtler; and four nieces Robin West, Shelley Norman, Stacy Hardy and Erica Kevane.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Light House, 10 Hudson Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 or Support: Holocaust Educational Foundation of Northwestern University - Northwestern University

The family will receive friends at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street Annapolis, MD 21401 on Thursday, March 25, 2021 from 10 am to 12 noon. A Memorial Service will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel at 12 noon. A Reception will follow in the Funeral Home Reception Room from 12:45 pm to 2:30 pm.