George Willard Thompson

George was born to Haskell and Lillian Thompson in Columbus, Georgia on September 6, 1921. George spent his formative years fishing and hunting off the banks of the Chattahoochee River until he graduated from Columbus Vocational High School. Following high school, he worked in finance in Mobile, Alabama. At the start of World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps as a C46 cargo pilot and flew supplies over the “China Hump”. After the war, he attended the University of Virginia School of Foreign Affairs, staying until he returned to military service with the United States Air Force in 1945. He spent the following 28 years as a pilot, operations officer, air attaché, and a plans officer with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired as Colonel in 1973. In 1976, he earned a M.B.A. from the University of Denver. He resided in many states and countries during his Air Force service before establishing his own business consulting firm in Merced, where he lived for over 40 years.

George, married Lucille “Tillie” Favier in 1948 and they had four children together. He was an avid golfer and a past president of the Merced Golf and Country Club. He was known to play a mean game of gin rummy and was a longtime member of the Merced Elks.

George is preceded in death by his parents, his siblings Haskell Jr. and Jeroline, his wife Tillie and his son Scott. He is survived by his children George (Diana) Thompson Jr., Larry (Lantha) Thompson and Tamie (Dave) Fuller; grandchildren, Shelley (Mike) Daniels, Jenna (Reyjay) Solares, Brooke Fuller and Jeffrey (Christina) Fuller; and great grandchildren, Kenzie, Wesley, Van and Everett.

Memorial services will be held at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 12, 2021.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stratfordevansfunerals.com for the Thompson family.