Earney James (Jim) Thompson Jr., age 77 of Joplin, passed away at 11:08 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2014 at Freeman West Hospital.
Born November 9, 1936 in San Diego, CA, he was the son of Earney James Thompson and Gladys Martha (Howe) Thompson and had lived in Joplin since 1992. He served in the US Army Artillery from 1955 to 1963. He began his career in radio and newspaper advertising before becoming a licensed general building contractor in the state of California. After retiring from construction, he moved with his wife Shirley back to Missouri to be closer to their children and grandchildren. During “retirement” he invented, designed and manufactured an effective prosthetic shower protector that continues to aid amputees across the country.
Preceding him in death are his parents, two brothers, Robert and John Reed, and a sister, Dorothy (Thompson) O’Donnell.
On November 8, 1958, he married Shirley R. Stewart in Oxnard, CA. She survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Philip Thompson of Independence, MO; three daughters, Julieanne Sample of Lockwood, MO, Joni Cunningham of Golden City, MO, Deborah Thomas and husband Brent of Marshfield, MO; 10 grandchildren, Kari Barchers and husband Elvin of Kansas City, MO; Kelley Miller and husband Brad of Springfield, MO; Kassie Thompson, of Blue Springs, MO; Jamey Smith of Golden City, MO; Kenneth Sample of Shawnee, OK and Steven Sample of Oklahoma; Nick Gordon and wife Tam of Marysville, KS; Eric Gordon and wife Michelle of Edmond, OK; Evan Thomas of Springfield, MO; Allie Thomas of Marshfield, MO and 13 Great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Georgiana Grose of Baldwin, MI, and Mary McDougal of Oxnard, CA, along with many relatives and friends.
Jim was very proud to have been a founding member and webmaster of the Red Scarf Club 553rd Field Artillery Battalion.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary. The family will be celebrating his life in a private gathering.
My thoughts and prayers are with Shirley and his extended family. My friendship with Jim was one of the web and then over the telephone. I "met" Jim on a web-based type amputee support group. He always had the best advise and then when I found out that he sold the shower protector, I became a customer. Even that being said, I was able to talk with Jim over the phone and feel like I was talking with family. I have and will always look up to Jim as a great friend and better mentor. Just a great guy and I'll surely miss him.
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