Foye H. Thompson

Foye Harold Thompson, 86, of Austinville died Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke. Funeral service was held Monday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at the Reese Funeral Chapel with the Revs. John Jenkins and Gary Cope officiating. A graveside service was held Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. at the Bethany United Methodist Church Cemetery. He was born March 24, 1922, in Wythe County, son of the late Posey Lee and Martha Jane Finley Thompson. He was a member of the Austinville Pentecostal Holiness Church. He was retired from New Jersey Zinc Co., worked for Wythe County Schools at Sheffey Elementary School and was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He was an avid sports fan, a Virginia Tech football fan, a Philadelphia Phillies fan and a coin collector. He was a founding member and former EMT of the Lead Mines Volunteer Rescue Squad. He was preceded in death by his stepmother, Dora Hunley Thompson; two brothers, Stanley Thompson and Drewey Thompson; and three sisters, Lillie Grubb, Helen Fisher and Geneva Sheffey. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Beatrice D. Thompson of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sue and Eddie Gunter of the Fort Chiswell community of Wythe County, Kay Thompson Lester and husband Alvin of Wytheville; two grandchildren who were the apples of his eye, Dr. Amber Kay Gunter and Aaron Kreg Gunter; two half sisters, Lucille Thompson and Jean Summitt, both of Martinsville; half brother, Glenn Thompson of Tuberville, S.C.; two sisters-in-law, Evalee Black of Mesa, Arizona, and Sylvia Thompson of Pulaski; two brothers-in-law, Andrew Sheffey of Max Meadows and Burton Dunford of Austinville; two special nieces, Frances Thacker and husband Bill, and Betty Littreal; and several nieces and nephews. Reese Funeral Home in Austinville was in charge of the arrangements.