John Curtis Thomson, Jr.

J.C. “Curt” Thomson passed peacefully at the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Center at 103, after a long and faithful life as a Marine, Husband and Father. Eldest son of J.C. and Matibel Thomson of Decatur, Georgia, Curt received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1939. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1942 and attended OCS at Quantico, VA and received special training at MIT’s Radar School before being assigned as a 1st Lieutenant with the newly-formed 542nd Night Fighter Squadron at Cherry Point, NC. The 542nd served in the WWII Pacific theater at Guam, Ulithi, Peleliu, and Okinawa and in occupation duty in Yokusaka, Japan. Curt returned in December 1945, to marry his sweetheart Emma Harris Whitaker in Enfield, NC. on Dec. 28.

Retiring from active duty in January of 1946, Curt was commissioned a Captain in the US Marine Reserves, promoted Major in 1951, and served until 1963. He and Emma settled in Raleigh, NC, where he was employed at the North Carolina Fire Insurance Rating Bureau for the next two and a half decades, and also served a term as Secretary of the National Fire Prevention Association.

Curt and Emma had three children; John Curtis, III (1948-1952), William W, and Emma Christine. They were faithful attenders of Highland Methodist Church in Raleigh. Curt enjoyed hunting and fishing and was active in the Breakfast Optimist Club. They retired to Topsail Beach in 1979.

Curt’s family and the Marine Corps were the two most significant parts of his life, and he exemplified the motto of the Corps: Semper Fidelis- Always Faithful. He and Emma were partners in life for 73 years until her passing in 2018. He is survived by his daughter Christine of Topsail Beach, son William of Iowa City, Iowa, and one grandson, Thomas Willoughby (Liz Cook Willoughby) of Kansas City, MO.  Memorial services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, or the NC Wildlife Federation.