Rev. James Allen Thompson died under hospice care at Martin Health Center in Bloomington, IL on March 8, 2023. He had been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) for over two years. He was born October 14, 1942, in Chicago, to Keith D. and Olive (Allen) Thompson.
Jim spent his childhood in urban and suburban Chicago graduating from West Chicago High School. He then graduated from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA with a degree in theater and drama. He spent his early adult years working in marketing and information technology, also in the Chicago area. In his early thirties, he married his first wife and mother of his three children. In 1975, he felt a call to go into the ministry. He graduated from Methodist Theological School in Ohio with degrees in divinity and Christian education. He served as a United Methodist pastor for over twenty years in parishes in Ohio and then in Illinois where he also served as a hospital chaplain at Methodist Hospital in Peoria.
He married his wife, Margaret (Paine), December 30, 1994, and added two stepsons to his family. He is survived by his wife, Maggie, his children: Dr. David G. Thompson of Washington, IL, Nora J. Thompson (Christopher Banco) of Medford, OR, and Wesley E. Thompson (Meredith Allen) of Millfield, OH. Also surviving are his stepsons: Terry W. Dodds and Geoffrey B. Dodds (Heidi Beck) all of Bloomington, IL.
He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Hana Thompson, Sienna Pallesen, Haley Thompson, Eliza Wren, Wyatt Wren, Devon Dodds, Kaitlyn Dodds, Amy Dodds, and Emmett Thompson. His grandson, Geoffrey Thompson, and brother, Robert D. Thompson, preceded him in death.
A gathering and sharing time with Jim’s friends and family will be held May 13, 2023 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall at Wesley United Methodist Church, 502 E Front St, Bloomington, IL. A celebration of God’s life in Jim’s and all God’s people’s lives will be held in the sanctuary at 3:00 p.m.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to Les Turner ALS Foundation, 5550 Touhy Ave Ste 302, Skokie, IL 60077 (https://lesturnerals.org) or UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Building A, Suite 1, Atlanta, GA 30308 (https://umcmission.org/give-to-umcor/).