Franklyn Thompson ~ Obituary & Tribute

Obituary

A memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sulphur Well Church of Christ, northeast of Paris, for retired Rhea Public Library director Franklyn Thompson of Springville.

Randy Stephens will officiate. Burial will be in Sulphur Well Church of Christ Cemetery.

Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. McEvoy Funeral Home is in charge.

Thompson, 77, died Monday, March 12, 2012, at the Henry County Medical Center emergency room.

His wife, Patsy Rayburn Thompson, survives. They were married on Aug. 14, 1982.

Born Oct. 28, 1934, in Paris, he was a son of the late Edward L. “Tickle” and Virginia Hicks Thompson.

Thompson was a member of Sulphur Well Church of Christ. He worked as director at the library from 1980-1993. A 1953 graduate of Grove High School, he held a master’s degree from Murray State University. Prior to working at the local library, Thompson was an associate professor of art at Hopkinsville (Ky.) Community College.

In addition to his wife, he leaves one daughter: Christie M. (Jose) Meza of Radcliff, Ky.; one sister: Jane (Johnny) Gibson of Springville; one brother: Tommy (Kathy) Thompson of Springville; and three grandchildren: Clayton Dale Cunningham, Alivia Michelle Cunningham and Kenzie Meza, all of Radcliff.

Memorials may be made to Imagination Library, c/o Connie McSwain, Rhea Public Library, 400 W. Washington St., Paris.

Tribute

Franklyn Thompson, 77, who died Monday night in Paris, served as director of Rhea Public Library from 1980 to 1993.

Before a librarian, Thompson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Murray State University and pursued art.

After receiving his master’s, he taught art at Hopkinsville (Ky.) Community College.

In 1980, he was chosen librarian of Rhea Public Library, the first male to hold the position.

As head librarian, circulation doubled and library hours were extended on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The library also computerized its card catalog and a video program also was launched during his leadership.

In 1990, the library underwent an extensive expansion valued at $275,000.

Through the enlargement, the W.O. Inman Genealogy Room was added and a larger children’s room, that soon would bear Thompson’s name, emerged.

The addition also made it possible to add two public meeting rooms and an entrance foyer.

Thompson retired as city librarian in 1992.

As a Friend of the Library, Thompson served as the group’s, president, vice president and treasurer.

He also worked as a volunteer at the Henry County Archives.

Thompson leaves wife Patsy who was a longtime worker at the library, serving as assistant librarian during her husband’s tenure and continuing to work there until retiring in 1999,

Reprinted from THE PARIS POST-INTELLIGENCER
Paris, Tennessee
March 15, 2012 Edition ~ Used by Permission