The Reverend Dr. Charlie F. Thompson departed his life on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. He was born on October 31, 1930, in Mathews County, VA, to the late Charlie Earl and Pearl Thompson Lewis. He attended the public schools of Mathews County, VA, later graduating from Thomas Hunter High School. He is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Education. He furthered his education by receiving a Master of Divinity from the Samuel Proctor School of Divinity at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA.

Rev. Thompson was employed by North Carolina Mutual Insurance as an insurance counselor. He also taught in the Surry County Public School System as a Vocational Agricultural Educator. He later moved to Petersburg, VA, and taught Vocational Agriculture at Southside Elementary School, Dinwiddie County, VA. He changed careers and was appointed a position with the Department of Agriculture as a Supervisor of the Farmer’s Home Administration for 28 years, supervising building and financing property operations for the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George, Chesterfield, Surry, Sussex, Charles City and surrounding counties.

He was a former member of Metropolitan Baptist Church, Petersburg, VA, where he was a member of the Trustee Board and was later appointed Chairman. He separated from Metropolitan Baptist Church and was instrumental in the erecting of the Unity Baptist Church in Petersburg, VA. While there, he took leadership in finance and building operations. He was ordained as a Deacon of Unity Baptist Church, and soon was called to preach and later ordained as a Minister of the gospel. He left Unity Baptist Church to pastor the Harrison Grove Baptist Church in Prince George County for several years and later was called to pastor the Little Shiloh Baptist Church in Emporia, VA. After many years of pastoral service, he retired and moved back to his home church, Unity Baptist Church, serving as Associate Minister.

He was a member of the Minister’s Conference of Blackstone, VA. He was a proud founding member of the Fort Lee, Virginia Graduate Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.

He was married to his one and only true love, Sarah Tabb Thompson of 63 years. He was the father of three children, Charlene Thompson Carter (Harry) of Chesterfield, VA, André Franklin Thompson (Jocelyn) of Atlanta, GA, and Sharon Thompson Pritchard (Roy) of Lanham, MD. He leaves behind two grandchildren, Jonathan Franklin Carter of Chesterfield, VA, and Adia Reneé Thompson of Lawrenceville, GA. He was the godfather of Ms. Alva Elaine Myrick. He also leaves behind one brother, Ernest Thompson; two sisters-in-law, Dr. Geraldine Garnett (Rev. Garry Garnett) of King and Queen County, VA, Ms. Inez Thorne of Fort Washington, MD; one brother-in-law, James Thorne of Baltimore, MD; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.