Elder Lawfett Thompson

Wilson - Funeral Services for Mr. Elder Lawfett Thompson, Jr., 90 are scheduled for 2:00 P.M., Friday, February 18, 2022 at Alexander Gray Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Johnston officiating. Interment will follow to Hewitt Cemetery. The family encourages that those in attendance to wear a mask.

Elder was born February 22,1931 in Wilson, OK to the late Mr. Elder L. Thompson, Sr. and Mrs. Katie Belle (Robbins) Thompson. He departed from this life to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, February 11, 2022 in Carrollton, Texas.

Elder was raised in Wilson graduating from Wilson High School in 1949. In 1949, at the age of 18, Elder Thompson, Jr. joined the United States Navy. He was a seaman in the Navy during the Korean War. He was given a Hardship Discharge in 1951, which was Honorable in order to care for his beloved wife who was injured in a car accident. While in the Navy, he was on the Destroyer USS James E. Kyes DD-787. After leaving the Navy, he continued to serve his community by serving as a Fireman and Engineer in Brawley, CA, from 1951 to 1954. He then served as a Captain and Crash, Fire, and Rescue instructor in the United States Naval Air Station from 1954 to 1958 in El Centro, CA. Elder then served as Fireman, Captain, and Battalion Chief in El Segundo, CA from 1959 to 1983. He then retired and moved back to Oklahoma where he was born and raised and served as the Fire Chief in Fox, OK, from 1983 to 1991. He then became the oldest CLEET certified police officer, at the time, in the State of Oklahoma at the age of 61. After becoming a Police Officer, he served several years in Healdton, OK. He then became a Private Investigator until 2005, when he officially retired again. In those later years, he also raised detection dogs that could work for different agencies to help find drugs and such in order to help the community. This wonderful man of 90 years young has dedicated more of his life to service one way or another even after having to leave the Navy to care for his beloved wife who he lost many years ago just shy of spending 50 years together.

Preceding him in death were his parents; beloved wife, Mary Thompson; 5 infant siblings; 2 sisters, Betty Sue and Nina (Thompson) Dunn and nephew Christopher Legg.

Survivors include his sons, Elic "Gene" Eugene" Thompson of Fox, Ricky E. Thompson and wife Sharon of Clearfield, Utah; nieces and nephews, Amber Dunn of Denton, TX, Danni Legg of Norman, OK, Katherine Stearns of Lone Grove, OK, Alex Legg, Haleigh Legg, Chay Stearns; 5 Grandchildren; Justin, Chad, Brandon Thompson, Mindi Reardon and Amy Thompson, and numerous great grandchildren.

Pallbearers are Gene Thompson, Ricky Thompson, Alex Legg, Joey Fore, Jacob Fore and John Ward.

Honorary bearers are Gary Watson, Rudy Stewart, Meril Hodges, Haleigh Legg, Johnny Scott, Wayne Scott, Kenneth Griffin, Ralph Needham, Ladies at the Healdton Bank, El Segundo Fire Dept. and Fox-Graham VFD.

Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6-8 P.M. at Alexander Gray Funeral Home.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the VITAS Hospice.

Memories may be shared at www.alexanderfuneralhome.org.