William Bailey Thompson
1951 – 2022
William “Bill” Bailey Thompson walked on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, at home with family in Edmond, Oklahoma, after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The son of Kathryn Sue Bailey and William Howard Thompson, Bill was born March 4, 1951, in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Bill was a loving and caring father, grandfather, brother and uncle, and when he made a friend, they were his friend for life. Known for his kindness throughout the community, he always helped others when possible, and his love reached far beyond his family.
Bill was a proud member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a Toupin family descendant. He was always interested in his Tribal heritage and spent time researching the Thompson family genealogy.
After graduating from Shawnee High School in 1969, Bill attended Central State University (UCO) in Edmond and completed his bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1973. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, where he served as president and received the honor of Outstanding Greek Man his senior year.
In college he met his wife, Judy Thompson, while attending a philosophy class. They married in 1973 and spent nearly 49 years by each other’s side raising two children and living a fun and full life.
Throughout his career, Bill spent 24 years working for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma City, earning many internal awards and serving as a mentor to others in the insurance business. He retired in 2013 from Ledbetter Insurance Agency of OKC as an employee benefits specialist at 62 years old.
Bill also served as a former President and board member of Positive Tomorrows in Oklahoma City for many years, passionately working for a better future for the community’s children. He also volunteered as a little league coach while his children played sports in their youth.
His family and friends will always remember his ornery sense of humor and dedication to Sooner football. Bill also enjoyed singing, dancing and having a good time, always willing to provide his passengers with a lively rendition of Bad to the Bone with the windows rolled down. He loved the outdoors. Golfing and fishing were two of his favorite pastimes, and he spent as much time as possible traveling to anywhere with a beach and water. Most of all, he cherished time with his family and their get togethers.
He is preceded in death by his mother, father, and sister, Pamela Elizabeth Power. His is survived by his wife, Judy Thompson; son, Bill Thompson (Maritza) of Edmond; daughter, Carly King (Aaron) of Edmond; granddaughters, Casey, Tatum, Jada and Bianca; sister, Ann Willett (Brian) of Yukon; nephew, Dylan Willett; nieces, Karen Ober, Kathryn Mackey and Paige Willett; and many other family and friends who will miss him greatly.
The family thanks nurse Wendy Jakubiak and caretaker Diane Cooper for their compassionate care and love for Bill and the rest of the Thompsons.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests contributions in memory of Bill be made to Positive Tomorrows (positivetomorrows.org) or Brain Support Network (brainsupportnetwork.org/donate).
Visitation will be from 4:00 – 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at Matthews Funeral Home with family present to greet friends.