Garland E. Thompson, 90
Graveside services for Garland E. Thompson, 90, a native of Swainsboro, were held Friday, June 4, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Swainsboro City Cemetery with military honors with Rev. Casey Shaw officiating. The family received friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. He died Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at Emanuel Medical Center Nursing Home.
Mr. Garland E. Thompson was born February 9, 1931 to the late Edgar A. and Iris Wilson Thompson and was the grandson of the late Eugene and Callie Youngblood Thompson of the Kemp Community. He attended the University of Georgia and was a graduate of Augusta College with a BBA in management. Mr. Thompson served five years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and was with E.I. DuPont and Westinghouse at the Savannah River Site (SRP), retiring after 40 years service in the Health Protection Department. While working at SRP with the DuPont Co. He wrote a musical safety program; it was photo-graphed and written up in the DuPont Magazine and performed at DuPont Plants.
Mr. Thompson was also a musician and proficient on several instruments; performed on radio, stage, local shows throughout Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the world-famous Renfro Valley Barn Dance in Renfro Valley, Kentucky. Mr. Thompson taught music for Schneiders’ Music Center in Augusta and in his home in Belvedere and North Augusta, South Carolina for 28 years.
His signature, along with 45 other SRP employees was microfilmed and planted on the moon alongside the American flag due to their work fabricating the plutonium button that fueled the first moon landing.
In addition, Mr. Thompson was a tree farmer, past president of the Emanuel County Agri-Business Council for two years, the Reubin Thompson Memorial Foundation for five years, and a former member of the Exchange Club. He was a charter member of the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society, Nashville, Tennessee and was a Georgia certified teacher and part-time instructor at Augusta Technical College and Swainsboro Technical College.
Mr. Thompson was a guitarist for the Swainsboro Presbyterian Church for five years and a member of the Swainsboro First Baptist Church, serving as usher, trustee, audio/tape and offering committee and guitarist for the adult Sunday School Assembly.
In addition to his parents and grandparents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean (Lawson) Thompson, stepmother, Sallie Bell Thompson, and brother, Jimmy Thompson.
Survivors include son Terry Eulgene Thompson (Annette) of Douglasville; brothers Rev. Clarence Thompson (Mildred) of Avera and Robert “Bobby” Thompson (Wilma) of Lithonia; grandchildren, Kacy (Lt. Steven) Hucks of Norfolk, Virginia and Riley Thompson (Trent Turner) of Roswell; great-grandchildren Haddy Hucks, Hunter Hucks and Tegan Turner; and nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Pallbearers were Jerry Lawson Jr., Hiram Bobo, Michael Gunn, Trent Turner, Jody Thompson, and Duane Keil.
Should friends desire, memorial contribution may be made in his memory to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 828, Swainsboro, GA 30401.
Durden-Hudson Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements.