Leon L. Thompson, age 89, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Friday, May 1, 2020. He was born in Aberdeen, MD on October 18,1930 to Carrie and Francis Thompson and was the youngest of four children. Lee married his high school sweetheart, Darlene, and they had 3 children together. The family of five enjoyed going to both DE and NC beaches and shared wonderful memories.
Lee served honorably in the Marines, achieving the rank of Sergeant. We are grateful for the sacrifices he made for freedom’s sake and thank him for the patriotism he instilled in all of us.
Lee and Darlene Thompson met John and Arlene Hedrick in 1960 and became great friends. Both couples kept in touch for many years. After John and Darlene passed away, Lee and Arlene reunited and eventually married, combining the families which consisted of 6 children, 13 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. The couple enjoyed many activities, amongst them taking weekend trips to Maryland and Chincoteague Island as well as spending time with family and friends. They enjoyed attending services at the Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church. Lee and Arlene shared many happy days full of laughter and were best friends.
Lee graduated from the University of Delaware with a major in Engineering and began working for The Doubleday Company in Virginia. He continued his career with The DuPont Company working as a Mechanical Engineer and later as a consultant. He enjoyed his work and retired over 30 years later.
Lee enjoyed running and tennis, playing on a USTA Men's Team until last August. He continued with tennis lessons while 89 years old. He loved attending the activities of his grandchildren, attending many sporting events, recitals, and activities. Lee was an avid reader and was always learning. He was sincerely interested in the jobs, activities, and health of each member of the family, always wanting to know what was happening in their lives. He adored his dog Max and looked forward to their time together.
Lee is survived by his wife, Arlene, his children Dori, Tom (Michelle), and Leona; Arlene’s children Susan (Joe), Clark (Joy), and Caroline (Scott); 13 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife Darlene, his sisters Gert and Muriel, his brother Francis, and his son-in-law Gene.
The family would especially like to thank Joyce, Debbie, John, and Tonya from Compassionate Care for their compassion and exceptional care of Lee.
Lee was a caring and special person and will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him.
A small private service will be held on Thursday, May 7th. A Celebration of Lee’s Life will follow at a later date.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Leon "Lee" L. Thompson, Sr., please visit our floral store.