Born August 13, 1935 in Harrisburg, he was the son of the late Willis M. and Dorothy (Ward) Thompson; and preceded in death by his wife of 32 years, Rose Thompson; and his brother, Frank Thompson.
Surviving are his daughter, Patricia A. Shellhammer of Harrisburg and her husband, Todd; two grandsons, Baxter and Alex Shellhammer; and several nieces and nephews.
Sleepy was a graduate of John Harris High School and Lycoming College. He was retired from the Mechanicsburg Navy Depot and served in the U.S. Army and the Reserves. He was also a member of the Harrisburg Improved Order of the Red Men and the Harrisburg Elks Lodge 1058.
“Sleepy” was a kind, generous man who took great pleasure in inviting crowds of people to bunk out in beach houses he rented in his beloved, Stone Harbor, New Jersey every summer. His philosophy was always “the more, the merrier.” He was an avid Philadelphia sports fan who listened faithfully to the Phillies on his a.m. radio, and he loved watching Penn State football and Olympic games. Although he was a quiet man, Sleepy loved being around people sharing laughter, beer and playing cards and other games. In his retirement years, he loved taking drives, sipping milkshakes at Red Rabbit Drive-In, and humming a happy tune, but his greatest joy was spending time with his grandsons and especially watching them play baseball. He will be missed by many.
Funeral Service will be held 1:30 PM Friday, December 18, 2020 in Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry St., Harrisburg. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. A viewing will be held 12:30 PM Friday until the time of the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Rd Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256 or to the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, 7790 Grayson Rd., Harrisburg, PA 17111.
