Edmund Thompson

1930 - 2019

THOMPSON Edmund Randall Thompson (aGE 89) Of Kennebunk, ME, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret) died peacefully on Sunday, July 14, 2019. He was born in New Rochelle, NY on May 29, 1930, the son of Edmund Burke Thompson, Jr. and Jessica Morrison (Gaul) Thompson. He grew up in Windham, CT and Washington, DC, graduating from Western HS in 1947. Ed graduated from the USMA, Class of "52. Career: 4th Pack Artillery Battalion, Camp Carson, CO; Apr '54-Feb "57 77th Field Artillery Battalion Japan; Masters' and Doctorate' degrees in Geography at Syracuse University 1957-58; West Point instructor through 1962. Recruited to Intelligence, Ed served as a MAAG advisor in SE Asia in 1963-64; attended the Command & General Staff College, Class of '65; ACSI office 1966-1967; Commander U.S. Army Field Detachment "O" 1968; G2 of 25th Infantry Division, Vietnam to late 1969; office of the Asst Sec of Defense (Int'l Sec Affairs) 1970; and, ICAF, Class of "71. As a Colonel, Ed commanded the 116th MI Group, Ft McNair 1971-72, then to DCSPER until Jun '75. Promoted to BG, he assumed commander of USAINTA, Ft Meade, MD to Aug "77. Earning his second star, he was confirmed as the ACSI, serving into 1981, followed by the Dep Dir for Mgmt and Ops at DIA before retiring in May "84.MG Thompson's numerous decorations include the DSM, LM, BSM, MSM; and induction with the first class to the MI Hall of Fame, Fort Huachuca, AZ. Ed and his wife, Anne (Ridenour) Wheeler, retired to Kennebunk, ME to live in the home he designed for more than 30 years. Ed continued public service as President of AFIO New England. He edited and republished books by Kennebunk's own Kenneth Roberts and wrote historical fiction and spy stories set around the world. Ed and his late stepson Larry Wheeler built a house together. Survivors include wife Anne Thompson of Kennebunk; sister, Elisabeth Kirby of Lee's Summit, MO; sons, Andrew (Patricia) of Herndon, VA, Matthew of Indian Mound, TN, Harry (Laurie) of Clarksville, MD; daughter Linda Grignon (Dennis) of Shawano, WI; step-daughter Barbara Wheeler Hines (Graham) of Melbourne, Australia; and 12 grandchildren (Ben, Amanda, Daniel, Michael, Lynn, Jason, Brian, Marcus, Alexander, Angela, Julie and Jacob), and eight great-grandchildren (Nicholas, Cody, Marcus, Hallie, Lawrence, Genevieve, Theodore and Michaela). He loved his country, his family and his friends without hesitation or precondition. "That's for damn sure!" A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 1 p.m. at Ft Myer Chapel, 204 Lee Ave, followed by burial with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Edmund"s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com. Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043. Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.