of Fairfield Bay, AR

July 2, 1937 - October 15, 2018

Robert (Bob) Charles Thompson, 81, born on July 2, 1937 in Presque Isle, Maine. Bob was fortunate to be born to Donald and Ann Thompson and lived a very active and loving childhood. He graduated from Presque Isle High School and received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maine. He joined the Army and served in the 1/132 Artillery Battalion. He was a Science and Math teacher after his graduation and taught in Pittsfield, MA. He still held a lifetime teaching certificate for that state.

Bob was blessed with four children, Catherine, Craig, Corey, and Chad.

His decision to enter the corporate world became a lifelong career. He began in the pulp and paper industry serving as a boiler inspector, then promoted to the sales part of the business, selling chemicals to process paper then became a Regional Sales Manager for Buckman Laboratories in Memphis, TN. During this time, he lived in Palatka, Florida and Brunswick, Georgia. The last few years of his career were spent in Memphis, Tennessee at the home office where he served as the Manager of Applied Knowledge. He traveled extensively with Buckman, training, mediating, and troubleshooting. During Bob's lifetime, he served his community wherever he was, through his church, the Masons, Rotary, Lions Club, and Optimist Clubs.

It was no surprise to anyone who was acquainted with Bob that he loved music. He spent his whole life performing, and blessing his local church with song. He sang in gospel quartets, the most recent being Sounds of Praise, a mixed gospel quartet from Fairfield Bay. Bob was a 62-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, performing with the Big Orange Chorus in Jacksonville, Florida and the Men of Harmony in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 2007, Bob married Wilba Likeness Thompson and moved to Fairfield Bay after retiring from Buckman. That marriage brought him 3 bonus children, Melody, Joy and Carol. He has attended Fairfield Bay Baptist Church where he sang in the choir, blessed the congregation with his special music and sang with Sounds of Praise. He has also proudly served as a Deacon in the church. In 2013, after the City of Fairfield Bay received a grant to refurbish the Conference Center, Bob and Wilba were hired as Directors of the Fairfield Bay Conference Center. Bob was a very integral part of establishing and growing that business. He loved the time spent working with visitors, He community and our Conference Center family. He was lovingly called our ''I T'' guy by Conference attendees. His million-dollar smile and warm welcomes will be missed.

Bob felt blessed to have such a wonderful family. He is survived by the following: his wife, Wilba Thompson, their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Catherine Boyne, Craig Thompson, Corey (AnaPaula) Thompson, Chad (Alicia) Thompson, Melody (Mark) Newbauer, Joy (Jamie) Sawyer, Carol (Eric) Deckelman, Kaitlyn Boyne, Camilla, Emily, Carrigan, Chase and Aria Thompson, Andy (Ashley) Sites, Mikaela, Chase and Corbin Bevins, Maggie Deckelman and Mason and John Sites.

Services are Saturday, October 20, 2018 , with a visitation at 1:00 p.m. and a memorial service following at 2:00pm, at the Fairfield Bay Baptist Church, located at 481 Dave Creek Parkway, Fairfield Bay, AR 72088 .

Arrangements are entrusted to Roller McNutt Funeral Home in Clinton, AR.

For online guestbook www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/clinton

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