Victor J. Thompson

Victor J. Thompson, Agricultural Engineer, died June 26, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois. Born in Coldwater, Kansas on February 18, 1930, to Irene D. (Baker) and George V. Thompson, Victor grew up on the family farm and went on to become a dedicated member of the agricultural industry in the Midwest. During the Korean War, Victor enlisted into the Marine Corps. Stationed in Florida, he worked as an aircraft mechanic. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Engineering from Kansas State University, and later completed his master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering at North Dakota State University. He earned his Professional Engineer designation from the State of Ohio. Victor met his spouse, Josephine (Nicolosi) in Marion, Ohio in 1958. His career took them to North Dakota; various Illinois farming communities; and to Kentucky and Oklahoma. In 1968, a new opportunity with Amoco Fertilizer & Pesticides brought the family to Chicago. At Amoco, Victor focused his talent on improving equipment used in the application of anhydrous ammonia, nitrogen fertilizer and suspension; liquid fertilizers, as well as secondary nutrients, micronutrients, and pesticides. An exciting and rapidly changing period in U.S. agriculture, farms were expanding and crop production intensifying with a focus on operational efficiency. Farmers were changing tillage practice and wanted faster application of fertilizer; or application combined with tillage. Victor skillfully worked with Amoco’s equipment suppliers to incorporate the changes necessary to extend equipment life, improve function, and handle new products from the company’s research and development. His career brought him to Springfield, where Victor supported Illinois fertilizer and ag-chemical retail dealers with his technical knowledge. He was instrumental in many legislative initiatives, both in Illinois and at the federal level. He served on many committees of the Washington, D.C.-based The Fertilizer Institute, as well as his position of staff leader at the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association. After retiring in 1999, he was frequently called upon for technical advice by the industry. Victor dedicated much of his retirement following the stock market, primarily focusing on a company involved in developing a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Along with Josephine, Victor is survived by his five children, Vincent (partner, David Thomas), Steven, Anne Marie, Gregory, and Jeffrey (spouse, Kathlyn); grandchildren Katelyn and Timothy; his sister Norene, and her spouse Russell Harness of Coldwater, KS, and their daughters Diane, Connie, and Shayla. His younger bother, George Elvin, preceded him in death in 2006. A Memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, June 30, 2007, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with services at 2 p.m., at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home at 900 South 6th Street in Springfield. Memorial Contributions can be made to “Midwest Agricultural Scholarship Foundation”, supporting students with a career interest in the fertilizer and chemical industry, and mailed to: C/O Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, P.O. Box 1326, Bloomington, IL 61701-1326.