William "Bill" O'Neal Thompson

William O’Neal “Bill” Thompson, of Groesbeck, passed away at home, with his family by his side, on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, following a battle with cancer during the past year. He was 70. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2015 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, April 3, 2015 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Tracy Sims officiating. Burial will follow in Fort Parker Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Robert Webster, John Webster, Austin Webster, William Hill, David Wright, Johnny Wright, Randy Wright and Braxton Hill. Bill was born on October 17, 1944 to Nathan Frank Thompson and Annie Ruth (Lenox) Thompson in Elgin. The family moved to Groesbeck where Bill grew up and attended school. Bill was united in marriage with Georgia Jean “Jeannie” Hauser on January 30, 1969. In his younger years, Bill worked in construction and roofing. He and Jeannie then opened a mechanic and tire shop and ran a tow truck business, first located on Highway 164 and later in town. The whole family worked along with the parents, with him teaching air conditioning work to his daughter, expecting her to work as well as the boys. He worked hard all his life, at least six days a week and on Sunday when needed, up until his health problems progressed around Christmas 2014 that he had to turn the work completely over to the family. As a young man he enjoyed fishing and coon-hunting with his boys. He and Jeannie considered many others to be just like their own kids, including his sister Patricia and brother George and his employee Billy Bob Hastings. He and Jeannie felt blessed to have their grandchildren and great grandchildren living close where they could see them almost every day, and they loved their Papa. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Nathan Felix Thompson in 2011 and son Steven Wayne “Stevie” in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Jeannie Thompson of Groesbeck; son, Larry Gene Thompson of Groesbeck; daughter and son-in-law, Leya Annette and Hershel Hoover of Groesbeck; son, Terry O’Neal Thompson of Rockdale; sister (raised as a daughter), Patricia Ann Wright of Jacksonville; brother (raised as a son), George Lee Dyess of Groesbeck; sister and brother-in-law, Betty Laverne and Clyde White of Chunky, Mississippi; brother, Sammy Don Thompson of Chunky, Mississippi; grandchildren and great grandchildren: William “Boo” and Monica Barton and their son, Madden Barton of Wortham; Jeannie Hoover and William Hill and their children, Braxton Hill, Bryson Hill, and Brady Hoover of Groesbeck; Ashley Hoover and her children, Jaycee Curlin and Nathan Hoover of Groesbeck; Larry Thompson, Jr. of Forest Glade; Samantha Bourgeois and her husband Casey and son Tucker Bourgeois of Kosse; Jessica Thompson of Forest Glade; Bradley Thompson of Arkansas; Sara Thompson; Austin Hullett of Groesbeck; Andrea Thompson of Oklahoma.