John Thompson

Former McGraw Hill Executive John F. Thompson, (Jack), 83, died Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Anne Arundel Medical Center. He was the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the McGraw Hill Continuing Education Center in Washington, D.C. and Beltsville, Md. Mr. Thompson was a lifelong resident of the Silver Spring -Wheaton area before his retirement to Edgewater, Md. in 1989. He attended St. John's College High School in D.C. and earned his MBA from Loyola College of Baltimore. He served 4 years in the USAF and was voted Outstanding Serviceman of the Year while at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After his discharge in 1955, he joined the National Radio Institute (NRI) in D.C. which later became the McGraw Hill Continuing Education Center. He held several executive positions with the Center including Director of Advertising, Vice President for Marketing, Executive Vice President, and served as its' President and Chief Executive Officer from 1973 until he left in 1984 to start his own consulting business. He was also very active in the Distance Education and Training Council in D.C. serving as its' President in 1971-73 then as Vice Chairman of its' Accrediting Commission for 6 years. Mr. Thompson was a certified volunteer accrediting examiner for the Commission and served as an examiner for more than 50 private schools seeking accreditation or reaccreditation. He was twice awarded the Council's Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Thompson was a past director of the Washington Mail Advertising Club, a former member and Chancellor of the Wheaton-Glenmont Knights of Columbus Council 5567, the Wheaton Kiwanis Club, the Cummins -Behlke American Legion Post, and was a past member of the Annapolis Elks Lodge No. 622. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Davidsonville, Md. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Virginia G. Thompson; four children, Ralph L. Thompson of Edgewater, Md., Karen A. Thompson of Cockeysville, Md., Russell F. Thompson of Gaithersburg, Md. and Robert J. Thompson, Shelby, N.C.; nine grandchildren; and one sister, Susan T. Knight of Shelby, N.C. Friends may call at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8pm. A Memorial Mass will be held on Thursday, March 12 at 11am at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W. Central Ave. Davidsonville, MD. Interment at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville, MD. will follow the mass, and a reception will be held from 2 to 4 at the Elks Lodge, 2 Pythian Dr., Edgewater, MD 21037. In lieu of flowers his desire would be to have donations sent to Catholic Charities USA, P.O. Box 17066, Baltimore, MD 21297. An online guestbook is available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com