Frances Lockley Thompson

Frances Lockley Thompson was born on October 18, 1929 to Frank and Aurelia Lockley in Gloucester, Virginia. On November 26, 2005, she departed this life peacefully after a long and courageous battle with cancer. All who knew her and anyone lucky enough to be invited to her home knew that she loved life, she loved her family, and she lover her home--especially her kitchen which she considered her 'domain'. Frances was educated in the Gloucester, Virginia school system from elementary to high school, graduating from the Gloucester Training School. After completing her pre-nursing studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., she again returned to Virginia where she earned her nursing degree from the Dixie Hospital in Hampton, Virginia in early 1951. After being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in October 1951, Frances attended the Aerospace Medical School and Flight Nurse Training School in Alabama where she earned her flight nurse certification in 1952. She was subsequently assigned to Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall, in Suffolk, England. Always a lover of travel, Frances had the opportunity to visit Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, and Paris while she was stationed in England. In 1952, she met Solomon Thompson, a handsome U.S. Air Force sergeant from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who was known to family and friends as 'Benny'. Was it love at first sight? Maybe, but years later Frances said that she teased Benny because he had to salute her before he kissed her 'hello'. They were married on October 17, 1953 in New Market, England and returned to the United States in 1955 where they both were stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. After eight years of service in the Air Force, Frances decided to leave the military and start a family. On September 8, 1959, her first son, Kevin Scott, was born at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. In 1960, Karen Lynn joined the family at the age of ten. After Moving to San Antonio, Texas where Benny was assigned to Kelly Air Force Base, he and Frances had their second child, Edith Aurelia, who was born on May 6, 1964. During the family's subsequent assignment to Clark Air Force Base, Philippines, 1966-1969, Benny and Frances had their last child, Mark Alan, who was born on September 28, 1967. In 1969, the family again returned to San Antonio, where Benny served a final tour of duty at Kelly Air Force Base. After his retirement in 1975, San Antonio became the final family homestead. Although she had left the Air Force in 1959, Frances' passion and love for nursing remained and she served as a nurse with the Civil Service until January 1992. She served as the Head Nurse of the Neo-Natal Clinic at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio and also served as the first civilian supervisor of the Wilford Hall Pediatric Clinic. During her tenure at Wilford Hall, Frances earned a reputation as a dedicated, professional, and compassionate nurse who was well respected and loved by all who worked with her and knew her. After her final retirement from Civil Service in 1992 and until her death in November 2005, Frances continued to enjoy the pleasures of family life. She visited the family summer home in Gloucester, Virginia several times a year and took great joy in visiting her grandchildren wherever they were located - Colorado Springs, Kansas, Germany, Las Vegas, or San Antonio. Frances was also an active member of the Chi Eta Phi Sorority and the Retired Nurses Association where she continued her service to the community and made many lasting friendships. Frances leaves behind to mourn her passing her devoted husband of 53 years, Solomon 'Benny' Thompson; her sister, Helen Lockley of Gloucester, Virginia; her sister-in-law Rosemary Reid of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; her sons, Kevin Scott Thompson Maria of San Antonio, TX and Mark Alan Thompson Erickia of Las Vegas, NV; her daughters, Edith Aurelia Todd Lenny of San Antonio, and Karen Lynn Jarrett Dwight of Severn, MD; her grandsons, Jonathan Oliver Thompson of San Antonio and DeLain Best of Philadelphia, PA; her granddaughters, Bridget Marie Thompson of San Antonio, Erin Nicole Thompson of Las Vegas, and Kawan Nicole Best of Philadelphia; her nieces, Joann Edlow of Newcastle, DE, Debra Lynn Scott of Philadelphia, Denise Moore of Philadelphia, and Cheryl Yates of Philadelphia; her nephews, Rodney Lockley of Atlanta, GA and Michael Thompson of Philadelphia; and her special, lifelong friends, Lou Foster, Bea Teal, Laura Banks - all of San Antonio, and Helen Cliff Heathington of Tallavast, FL. We will all miss her dearly.