LAWRENCE THOMPSON

THOMPSON--Lawrence. Lawrence Bigelow Thompson passed away on September 15, 2019 in New York City. He was a community leader, and beloved husband, father and grandfather. Lawrence Thompson was born in New York City, and attended Buckley school. He graduated from Yale University where he embarked on a lifelong interest in history, political science and a well constructed argument. He obtained a law degree from Harvard and joined the law firm of Emmet Marvin & Martin, LLP in 1962 as an associate, becoming a partner in 1969, and had been senior counsel since 2007. He developed a genuine expertise and passion for working with non- profit providers that serve elderly populations. It combined his empathy for vulnerable populations, his legal abilities and his keen understanding of how systems work. He was chairman of the Amsterdam Board, as well as being a trustee of the ANH Foundation and a Director at Emergency Shelter, Inc., Leake and Watts Services, Inc., The Paget Foundation and the Samson Foundation. During his tenure as Chairman of the Amsterdam Board, Mr. Thompson helped plot the course of Amsterdam as it navigated the challenges in the healthcare field. He insisted that quality care be provided to the elderly through the full continuum of care including independent living, enriched housing, adult day health care and skilled nursing. By promoting organizational growth and diversity, he worked to ensure the future of Amsterdam. Most significantly, under his stewardship, Amsterdam developed a $330 million Continuing Care Retirement Community, only the 12th to be developed in New York State. His leadership earned him a 2018 LeadingAge New York Trustee of the Year Award. The award citation noted his universal pursuit of excellence, his generous sharing of his expertise, his intellect, skills, outstanding leadership and judgment. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Louise Thompson. He is also survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Thompson, three grandchildren and his little dog.