Obituary of Robert J Thompson

Boxford - Robert J. Thompson, age 81, died Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. He was born in Mason City, Iowa on May 27, 1939, the son of Sydney and Norma (Olson) Thompson, raised in Clearlake, IO, later residing in VA, then Lynnfield, and finally Boxford. Robert graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology and received his master’s degree in engineering from Drake University. He worked for NFPA in Boston, for the VA covering the New England region for fire protections in their hospitals and retired in 2009. He and his beloved wife, Marcy (predeceased) were a foster family and welcomed 19 children over a 10-year period into their Lynnfield home. Bob was a member of many organizations, some of which were 4-H, Middleton Congregational Church and choir, Gideons, Council on Aging (Boxford and Topsfield), E3 Partners, and Dance Out Dementia. Bob or “Pastor Bobby” as he was known on his mission trips, or Grampy as he was known by his family, was humble, kind, and generous. He let the love of Jesus shine through every action he took and every gift he gave. Every person he met was better for having known him. Bob has now joined his wife Marcy. They are survived by their son Steven Thompson and wife Sheila (Connoly) and their daughter Jennifer (Miles) and husband David, their beloved grandchildren Christian, Rachel (Miles) Maidment and husband Christopher, Hannah, and James Miles, and Deven, Danie, Xin Long (predeceased), Jianye, Destiny, and Dietrich Thompson, and their beloved great grandchildren Finnegan and Aisling Maidment, and his three brothers Gordon (predeceased), Bill, and Jack, as well as many nephews and nieces. A celebration of life will be held in early July; all who knew and loved Bob are welcome. Internment was held privately at Village Cemetery, Boxford attended by immediate family and officiated by longtime friend and pastor Larry Schell. Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to Middleton Congregational Church, Pregnancy Care Center, or E3 Partners.