Claude Richard “Okie” Thompson passed peacefully away at home in Virginia Beach on December 31, 2023. He was born at home in Kay County Oklahoma on September 3, 1927, to the late Benjamin Thompson and Louise Eck Thompson, the youngest of 6 children.
Okie spent his youth in Kansas working on the family farm and attending a one-room schoolhouse. He joined the Coast Guard and left home to attend the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, graduating in 1950. Okie had a distinguished career in the Coast Guard with assignments throughout the US, with his final post as the Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads. He retired in 1980, but always kept the Coast Guard in his heart as exemplified by his love for the sea and ships and the deep friendships he had with his Coast Guard family.
Okie is predeceased by his parents; his five siblings, Marie, Floyd, Leonard, Alice, and Helen; and his wives, Paulina (Paully) Beckwith Thompson (1994) and Susan Vollmer Thompson (2009).
He is survived by his five children, Cynthia T. Fox (Mark) of Charlotte, NC; Linda T. Walsh (Neill) of Wethersfield, CT; Christopher D. Thompson (Dawn Tutje) of Greenwich, CT; Richard S. Thompson (Graciela Trabajo) of Paris, France; and Jeanette L. Thompson (Dug Hirt) of Arlington, VA.
He is survived by his 5 stepchildren, Mark Vollmer, Scott Vollmer, Karen Vollmer-Poseley, Nancy Wood, and DeeGee Thow. DeeGee was his primary caretaker in his final years and cared for him with love and a generous heart for which we will be eternally grateful.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Kevin Fox, Alex Fox, and Rebecca Fox Ramsey; Brian and Gwen Walsh; and Kendall and Nicole Thompson, who lovingly called him “Pop-Pop,” and his great- grandchildren, Noah, Clara, Kian, and Ayra Fox; Ruby Mae, Adelaide, and Hunter Ramsey; and Jedediah and Theodosia Walsh. Survivors also include his brother-in-law Peter Beckwith and sister-in-law Barbara Beckwith Ballentine who considered him a brother, and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and caregivers.
Okie was the example of a self-made man. He spent his early life on the family farm in a house without running water or electricity and plowed fields with a horse. Although he left the farm, he kept the values of hard work, perseverance, and grit, as well as a trove of folksy sayings about cows, horses, and barns.
He was an extraordinary person with many interests, passions, and opinions.
Chief among them was the importance of education. He had a strong intellect and thrived at the Coast Guard Academy, where, in addition to his academics, he was on the wrestling, rifle, and track teams. He attended MIT where he graduated with a master’s degree in Naval Architecture in 1956 and worked on very early computer technology. One of his assignments was as the Head of Engineering at the Academy. While there, he was instrumental in paving the way for women to enter the Academy - the first-class including women entered in 1976. Travel was a passion of Okie's. He traveled for work or with family to all the continents and all the U.S. states, including many countries in Europe, Asia, and South America.
He lovingly cared for his first wife, Paully for two decades after her diagnosis of an aggressive brain tumor with a poor prognosis. They beat the odds together through force of will and Dad’s focus on exercise, good food, and continuing to be as active and social as possible. He was a model of loving commitment which endured through his second marriage, when he also attentively cared for his second wife, Sue, through her battle with cancer. Okie demonstrated his commitment to family by showing up at every child and grandchild’s graduation, wedding, or other significant celebration. And when he got there, he was a great guest introducing himself to people and telling stories.
He was a life-long Republican and was an active member of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, attending their weekly breakfast and standing outside of polls during elections. He was a major donor to their causes. He was also a long-time member of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church and the Princess Anne Investment Club. Here’s to a life well and fully lived with a legacy that endures.
Services will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 5181 Singleton Way, Virginia Beach, VA on January 13, 2024 at 1 pm and will also be available via the Emmanuel YouTube Channel. Inurnment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the U.S Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, 47 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT, 06320, or to the Kempsville Volunteer Rescue Squad, PO Box 62345, Virginia Beach, VA 23466.
