W4CTH @ Texas Water Safari
We just got the heads up about Joe Thompson W4CTH passing away today. Joe had a fatal heart attack at home around 2am this morning (7/7/2012). His wife & daughter were home at the time it happened.
W4CTH @ July 4th Parade
Joe was a active member of Hill Country REACT, Chaparral Amateur Radio Club (Seguin), and was the ARES EC for the Guadalupe County ARES group.Joe had helped this year with Heart of the Hills Horse event in March, Net Control for the San Antonio Tour de Cure in May, the Luling Crossing Checkpoint for the Texas Water Safari in June, and the Canyon Lake 4th of July Parade this week.
From Louis N5STX – His full name was Needham Joe Thompson! Joe was EC for Guadalupe County ARES, Member of Hill Country REACT, Chaparral Amateur Radio Club, active with Bexar County ARES, RACES and MARS (AAR6TO < I believe)! I believe he may have been the the County Liason Officer with RACES in Guadalupe County. Very active with the various ultra-marathons, bike events and the AERC Heart of the Hills event in Bandera.
Unknown to many, Joe was a retired Doctor, when on many of his traveled, still practiced/volunteered at a clinic in South Carolina and I believe one in Florida! <need to confirm this – I do remember him talking about this! Joe live for his grand children, frequently taking them to events around the country.
Service Information
Mass will be held on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 1:30p.m.
St James Catholic Church
510 S. Camp St
Seguin, TX 78155
More details will be posted here as made available. Our thanks to Louis K5STX for providing us with the notice a few hours ago.
July 11th, 2012 at 6:04 AM
Col (Ret) Needham Joseph Thompson, USA was born July 23, 1938 and died July 7, 2012 at the age of 73.
He was born in Charlotte, NC and passed away in Seguin, Tx. He attended the St Andrews Sewanee School in Tennessee received his Medical Doctorate with highest honors at MUSC in Charleston, SC in 1968 and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Lt Col (Ret) Mary K. O’Neill, USA.
He had three children, Charles, Judith and Joseph and six grandchildren: Jessica, Stephen, Katherine, Joseph, Collin and Brian. After receiving his MD, Joe entered active duty in the US Army Medical Corps, July,1969 and retired honorably in 1993. While in the Army he specialized in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Preventive Medicine. He had a distinguished military career and received numerous awards and decorations, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Humanitarian Service Medal.
Joe was a founder of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the former Brooke Army Medical Center, and served in the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. He completed his Army years as Director of Occupational and Preventive Medicine and Medical Director, National Security Agency. Joe was actively involved in several amateur radio functions and services, including emergency response coordination in disasters. Services will be held Wed, July 11 at St James Catholic Church, 510 S. Camp St in Seguin at 1:30pm. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC at a later date. Funeral Services are provided by Goetz Funeral Home in Seguin.
Family contact is Judy (830) 303-9921. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Food for the Poor, 6401 Lyons Rd, PO Box 979005, Coconut Creek, FL 33097 or Smith Medical Clinic, Baskerville Dr, Pawleys Island, SC 29585 (where he volunteered his services regularly).