Herbert H. Thompson

Herbert H. Thompson, 84, of Smith Mountain Lake, passed away Monday, October 21, 2013. He was born in Christiansburg, a son of the late Elbert D. Thompson and Fannie Woolwine Thompson and had also resided in Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan prior to returning to Virginia. He was a US Army veteran of the Korean War and was a 1956 graduate of Virginia Tech, earning a degree in Industrial Engineering. He was employed in the glass industry, working his way up the ladder from his beginnings with PPG in 1956 to his retirement in 1997 as President and CEO of Ball Foster Glass Company, and was co-founder of Heye America, a joint venture with Germany. He was a member of Christ Community Church in Penhook, VA., and was an avid golfer, enjoyed tennis, drawing, painting and traveling. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by infant twin sons, a grandson, John Thompson, eight brothers and two sisters. He is survived by his loving wife Elaine Thompson; daughter, Kimberly T. Wheatley and her husband Bart; four sons, Tim Thompson and his wife Catherine, Chris Thompson and his wife Sharon, Jody Thompson and his wife Tammy, and Troy Thompson; a brother, Jerry Thompson and his wife Peggy; two sisters, Leona Willet and Frances Boyd, as well as seven grandchildren, Catie, Beth, Will, Tommy, Jacob, Aylana and Kayla. Funeral services will be held at 11AM, Friday, October 25, 2013 at Central United Methodist Church. Rev. Kristin Holbrook will officiate. Burial will follow at Sherwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8PM, Thursday at John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home, Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association, PO Box 96011 Washington, DC 20090 or to the National Parkinson Foundation, Gift Processing Center, PO Box 5018 Hagerstown, MD 21741. An online guest book is available for family and friends by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.