Charles Thompson

Charles Otis "Chuck" Thompson, 82 of Arlington, Texas and formerly of Columbia, South Carolina died Saturday, October 19, 2024. Chuck will be cremated, and his ashes will be buried alongside his predeceased wife, Delores Hall Thompson in Hall Family Cemetery near Modoc, GA in Emanuel County, GA. Services to celebrate Chuck's life will be held in both Arlington TX and Columbia SC at dates still to be determined.

Born February 5, 1942, in Dallas, Texas, he was the son of the late Truman Charles and Rose Bell (Cox) Thompson. He attended public schools in Irving, Texas and was an attendee of Irving High School. Chuck enlisted in the United States Army (1959-1962) and was trained at the US Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth, NJ and then studied the Korean language at the University of Maryland, Far East Division before being deployed to the Korean Demilitarized Zone in South Korea during the Korean DMZ Conflict.

In 1974, Chuck received an associate's degree in architectural engineering technology from the Tampa (FL) Technical Institute and worked for many years as an electrical and lighting designer before opening his own company, Charles Thompson Associates Lighting Design in 1987, where he served as the CEO and Design Director until his retirement in 2008. Chuck was an active member of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of North America, where he served in several leadership capacities, including section president from 1980-82 and again from 1987-88. He was also the recipient of seven Edwin F. Guth awards of merit for ingenuity and originality in interior lighting design.

Chuck was an avid tennis player. He enjoyed reading, solving crossword puzzles, attending car shows with his PT Cruiser, vacationing at Folly Beach in South Carolina and traveling the globe. He was blessed to have two great loves in his lifetime. Delores Hall Thompson was his wife for 33 wonderful years until her death in 2010. After Delores' death, Chuck reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Rene Gordon, and the two were married 2014.

Surviving are his wife Rene (Gordon) Thompson; son, Peter Mitchell Revis (Kim) of Clinton, SC, daughter Andrea Drew Hutchison (Mike) of Kansas City, MO, and son Barry Robert Drew of Apex, NC; brother Truman Thompson (Glenda) of Arlington, TX, brother Clovis Thompson (Rosa) of Norfolk, VA, and sister Representative Terry Meza of Irving, TX; grandson Jordan Revis of Clinton, SC, grandson Troy Gounev of Kansas City, MO, and granddaughters Riley and Aislyn of Apex, NC. He is also survived by many amazing nieces and nephews. Chuck was predeceased by his parents, wife Delores Hall Thompson, and nephew Brian Mitchell Thompson.