Paul Ishmael Thompson

Paul was born on October 27, 1931 in Muskogee, Oklahoma to Samuel and Nancy Thompson, at the time living in Checotah, Oklahoma. Paul was the youngest of thirteen children, with eight sisters and four brothers.

In 1951, Paul moved to Bakersfield and in 1952 he met & married Velda Delois Havens. During that same year, he was drafted into the Korean War and served as a Corporal in the US Army. Paul and Velda had seven children together; Steven and wife Donna, Ron and wife Cheri, Cheryl, Edward, Brian and wife Quyen, Matthew and Terry.

He leaves behind, twelve grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.