Donald William Thompson

Donald was the second son of Lester Lee Thompson and Emma (Scales) Thompson. Lester
and Emma were originally from Marvel, Arkansas where they married in 1925, but in 1926 they
moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, Lester and Emma raised their sons James Edward
Thompson and Donald while the family lived in the 4500 block of Garfield Avenue in St. Louis.
He was baptized at Antioch Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend James E. Cook.
All have preceded him to glory. Donald was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and was a
product of Cote Brilliant Elementary school. He graduated from Soldan High School. Donald
attended Lincoln University swaddle in Jefferson City, Missouri where he received a bachelor’s
degree in Education.
After graduation, on January 27, 1964, Donald was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the
United States Army at Lincoln University. He began active-duty April 6, 1964 at the U.S. Army’s
Military Police School at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. From there, he was stationed at the
504th Military Police Detachment in Inchon, South Korea as the Deputy Provost Marshall and
Executive Officer.
During his 20-year career as a commissioned Officer, Donald completed many active duty
assignments to include: Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, California as an Intelligence Officer at an
Ordnance Special Weapons Depot; Fort Clayton in the Panama Canal Zone as an Intelligence
Officer for a Communication and Signal Command; Military Assistance CommandVietnam in
Pleiku, South Vietnam as the senior Military Police Advisor to a South Vietnamese Prisoner of
War Camp with North Vietnamese and Viet Cong prisoners, as well as, a Unit Commander at
the United States Army Retraining Brigade, Fort Riley, Kansas.
His next assignment was Reserve Officer Training Corp at Jackson State University in Jackson
Mississippi. Following that was an assignment as Operations Officer at the Sixth Army Provost
Marshal Office at The Presidio of San Francisco, California. His last duty assignment was
Provost Marshal and Safety Officer at the Transportation Command at Oakland Army Base in
Oakland, California.

MILITARY SCHOOLS: Military Police Basic Course FT Gordon, GA 1964
Military Intelligence Officer’s Course, FT Holabird, Maryland 1966
Military Police Advanced Course FT Gordon, GA 1971
United States Army Command and General College 1980

CIVILIAN SCHOOLS: Lincoln University, Jefferson City MO B.S. in Education 1964
American University, Masters Work Washington DC 1973
Sam Houston State University, Masters Work Huntsville, TX 1974
Jackson State University Jackson, MS MA in Sociology 1977

Medals and Ribbons:
Bronze Star Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC) Vietnam Service Medal (2 Campaigns)
Army Commendation Medal (1OLC) Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Army Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon
National Defense Medal

Lifelong Friends: Col. Paul Easley, Ret. LTC Don Sims, Ret. LTC Arnold Sowell, Ret. Robert Whiteside,
A. Wayne Bush, Ted Edwards, George Conner, Wilbert Overall, Leslie Palmer (deceased), Col. William
Adams (deceased), Norman Calhoun (deceased).

Donald was married to Hattie (Days) Thompson for 56 years. They have two children: Kevin Patrick
Thompson and Renee Michelle Cleveland, MD. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and
friend to all. Donald had a heart to serve the African American community. In the spring of 1961, Donald
pledged ETA Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Lincoln University. He actively counseled
youth in the advantages of earning a college degree and served as President of the Black American
Cultural Association (BACA), a neighborhood group of homeowners in Hercules, California who raised
money and awarded college scholarships to local teens.

Donald also lived life to the fullest. He enjoyed double deck Pinochle and Bid Whist. He was well traveled
and loved taking Dave Koz and Smooth Jazz Cruises to the Caribbean and Europe. Donald leaves to
cherish his memory and wisdom his loving wife Hattie; their two children, Kevin Patrick Thompson of
Tampa, Florida and Renee Michelle Cleveland, MD, (Patrick) of Windermere, Florida; five grandchildren
to include Brianna Nichole Thompson, Miami FL; Tristan Nicholas Thompson, Los Angeles, CA; and
Ethan Parker Thompson, Miami FL; Miles Parker Cleveland and Aaron Spencer Cleveland, Orlando, FL;
and niece, Lisa Thompson-Ross (Anthony), who is like a daughter. He also enjoyed his great friendship
with his sister-in-law Doris Palmer and brother in-law Teddie Days (Hervert); sister-in-law Jeanette
Pulliam (Al) and brother-in-law Charles Days (deceased). “I want to thank Mr. Teddie (Hervert) Days and
Charles Days, Mrs. Doris Palmer and Mrs. Jeanette Pulliam (Al) who welcomed me into the family. Also,
I’d like to thank all my nieces, nephews and cousins for always welcoming me as part of the family.”

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