Gary Robert Thompson

Henrietta - Gary Robert Thompson, 86, of Rochester, New York passed away peacefully on August 27, 2025.

Gary was born in Rochester, NY on August 18, 1939, and married the love of his life, Phyllis Duckworth Thompson, on July 23, 1960. He is remembered as a caring father, inspiring teacher and coach, loving grandfather, and devoted husband.

Gary first met Phyllis in a combined first and second grade class at the elementary school a few blocks from their homes. He was an active student at Charlotte High School in Rochester, voted "Most Versatile" and elected president of the junior class then student body president his senior year. Gary excelled in sports including wrestling, basketball, volleyball, and especially track and cross country running. His studies continued at SUNY Cortland where he ran track and cross country, studied chemistry to pursue a career in education, and married Phyllis. Gary received a scholarship to study chemistry in graduate school at the University of Northern Iowa. He and Phyllis welcomed their daughter, Gayle, during their year in Iowa before moving back to teach and coach in New York State at Wayne Central, then Rush-Henrietta, where their son, Rick, was born.

Gary built his career as a chemistry teacher and coached track and cross country in the Rush-Henrietta school district and served as high school vice principal at both Sperry and Roth high schools throughout the 1970s.

Gary moved to Victor Central Schools in 1980 where he again taught chemistry and coached girls cross country, boys cross country, and boys track until 1998. He was inducted into the Victor Central Schools Hall of Fame in 2004. While there, the Girls Cross Country Team had 237 wins under his leadership. The girls won 13 Finger Lakes League Championships, 15 consecutive Section V championships and 174 consecutive dual meet wins. The program was rated No. 1 in New York State in 1985. In Boys Cross Country, the team had 276 wins under his leadership. The boys won seven Finger Lakes Championships and three Section V Championships. Coach Thompson retired in 1998 as the Most Winning Coach of New York State Cross Country with 640 wins. In Boys Track, the team had 92 wins. They won seven Finger Lakes League Team Championships and five individual New York State championships.

In 1977, Gary Thompson began exhibiting and selling his photographic images. His work is included in over four hundred private and commercial collections throughout the United States and Canada and although it is primarily shown in the east, it is displayed from coast to coast.

In 2005, Gary and Phyllis partnered with a great group of other local photographers to establish Image City Photography Gallery located at 722 University Avenue in the heart of ARTWalk in the Neighborhood of the Arts to promote their work and that of others.

Specializing in limited edition landscapes and seascapes, Gary's goal was to create mood and feelings in the minds of those who view his images and to project a harmonious and peaceful coexistence between man and nature. When observers speak of his prints as if they were paintings, his concept of painting with light is confirmed. Hoping that his work would promote an appreciation of the environment, he emphasized the romantic and positive beauty of the world.

Gary has had solo artist shows at the Century Club, the Tea House at the Downstairs Cabaret, and at Compo's Photography Center. For three years he and Phyllis were the Artists in Residence for Touché D' Artiste at the Hungerford Gallery. In 2004 he and Phyllis taught photography at the Conference of the Arts on Star Island, New Hampshire.

In addition to exhibiting and selling his prints, Gary taught photography courses for many schools and organizations in the Rochester Area. He taught courses for introductory, intermediate, and advanced photographers in the Rush-Henrietta Continuing Education Program. He and Phyllis traveled extensively across the United States and led tours for photographers to the Canadian Rockies, Olympic National Park, Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and to the coast of Maine. Gary and Phyllis donated prints for sale or auction to non-profit organizations such as Channel WXXI, Victor's Dollars for Scholars Fund, The Chocolate Ball, Breast Cancer Foundation, the Adam Walsh Center, and others.

Gary is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Phyllis; children, Gayle Schueller (Randy) of Austin, Texas, and Richard Thompson (Sarah) of Greece, New York; grandchildren, Aren Thompson, Lexie Schueller Richards (Mjnari), Garrett Schueller, and Jackson Schueller.

Gary is preceded in death by his parents, Margaret "Peggy" Thompson and Robert Thompson, and his sister, Judy Thompson Cripps.

Gary's Memorial Service will be held Sunday, August 31st at 12 PM at the Interfaith Chapel of Miller Funeral and Cremation Services, 3325 Winton Road S.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider donations to the National Park Foundation in Gary's memory.