Name: Celebration of Life for James R. Thompson
Start: 2022-10-01T16:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-10-01T17:00:00.000Z
Location: Underwood Park

James R. (Jim) Thompson

Feb. 13, 1958 - Sept. 11, 2022

NORMAL - Jim Thompson of Normal, IL, passed away on September 11, 2022, at the age of 64, due to Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a devastating, fast moving Prion Disease.

Jim is survived by his wife, Aprile; and three daughters: Kylie (Paul) of St. Louis, MO, Erin, of Normal, IL and Marissa, of Decatur, IL. He is also survived by his brothers: Bill (Jenny) of Atlanta, GA, and Bob (Barb) of Chandler, AZ. He also leaves behind his nieces and nephews: Bethany, Ben, Bonnie, Sydney and Jim and their families; as well as many cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Lenora Thompson; as well as three Airedale Terriers that he loved dearly.

Jim attended ISU earning his BS and Masters Degree in Special Education and Educational Psychology. He worked at La Paz School in Chicago, the Adler Center in Champaign, and at District 150 in Peoria. He left Peoria in 1990, to attend the University of Minnesota, earning his PhD in Educational Psychology. He was a Professor and Department Head in the Special Education Department at ISU for over 20 years. He retired in 2015, and came to the University of Kansas as a Professor in the Special Education Department and served as a Senior Scientist at the Beach Center on Disability and an Associate Director of the KU Center on Developmental Disabilities. He was also very active in the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) having served as President and Editor of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Journal.

Jim was especially proud of his work on the Supports Intensity Scale through AAIDD, which was one of the first valid and reliable means of assessing support for people with intellectual disabilities. It has been adopted world wide and Jim has made many friends of practitioners and families in the US and around the world due to his travels pertaining to the scale.

Jim loved to spend time with his family and loved to be outdoors. He especially loved to bike and hike to beautiful waterfalls. He was a staunch supporter of the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago White Sox and loved to listen to John Prime. He loved to travel and cherished the sights and people he met on these travels. We have chosen to honor his love of the outdoors as we celebrate him.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 1, 2022, at Underwood Park at 900 S. Linden Street from 11:00 - 2:00 p.m. Please feel free to wear Green Bay Packer or White Sox attire.

Memorials may be made to: AAIDD to establish a student scholarship fund in his name at https://www.aaidd.org/about-aaidd/donations or The National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western Reserve University.

Special thanks to friends and faculty at ISU, KU, Pontiac 429, and our neighbors and friends for all the love and support. A huge thank you to Heritage Manor of Bloomington and Carle Hospice for the loving care provided.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Pantagraph on Sep. 16, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for James Thompson

8 Entries

Tina Taylor

December 14, 2022

I met Jim at Illinois State University in 1995 when he was a new assistant professor and I was finishing my doctoral degree while teaching classes in the SED department. Jim welcomed me as a peer, a co-equal, and a valued faculty member, even though I was not on a tenure track.

After my graduation from ISU, Jim and I kept in contact and he mentored me in my early days as a professor. He invited me to serve on a CEC-DADD committee, which led to a publication, but more importantly, to lifelong friendships with colleagues across the US.

The world is a better place because of Jim's work in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID). His Supports Intensity Scale changed the paradigm of how to view those with ID - not from a deficit perspective, but from one of strengths and subsequent needs. Worldwide his influence is felt and will continue to change lives for the better.

Barbara Ribbens

September 22, 2022

So sorry for your loss and the difficulties of this awful and fast moving disease. May you each find ways to cherish his legacy in your lives and keep his memory alive for each other. Hugs!

Jack Albert

September 20, 2022

I can feel your pain with your loss of Jim my Wife was lost to CJD 15 years ago in Lincoln at57 God Bless your family

Harvey N Switzky

September 17, 2022

I knew Jim when we shared a trip to France going to an IDD conference. I wish his family and friends good memories.

Edward Hines

September 16, 2022

To Jim's Family. I was the chair of the ISU Committee back in the 1990s that recommended that Jim be Chair of the SED Dept. We saw each other frequently after that, and he was an outstanding Department Chairman. I retired in 2008, but had a chance meeting with Jim outside DeGarmo Hall after that. It was so clear that he had been an outstanding leader of an important Dept. I send the family my sincere condolences for your loss. Jim Thompson was one of ISU's finest. Dr. Ed Hines, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Ed Admin Dept.

Jill Timbers

September 16, 2022

Dear Aprile and family, We are so sorry! What a shock. You are in our heart as you wrestle with the loss of this dear, good man. I have many memories of Jim, but one of the most vivid is of walking Haley and Limerick together. Love, Jill and Lexa

Nathalie Garcin

September 16, 2022

was very sad to hear of Jim´s passing- Zimmm- as I knew him. We enjoyed thoughtful discussions about disability and supports, great laughs at AAIDD and IASSID conferences (Halifax 2012 was one memorable conference!), and fantastic conversations about our families. I fondly remember how Zimmm spoke so proudly of his wife and family.
Wishing you peace, Jim, we owe you gratitude for your contributions to the field. Nathalie from Montreal

Lynne Bessler/Westerfield

September 16, 2022

Aprile this is Lynne Bessler/ Westerfield. Soooo sorry for hearing about JTs horrible disease that he had and that he passed! I´m crying my heart hurts for you and your family who had to endure going thru this with such an intelligent loving man. My dad had a Brain tumor the last year and. Half of his life. It was so hard to see my dad an intelligent loving man like JT. I had my dad here at my house for a while till he couldn´t walk any more then had to place him in assisted living with full time helper. I know your pain. So unreal. . I will come to celebrate his life . Hope I can talk to you then. He helped me in college and had so much fun with him. So many good memories! Hold on and think of those you have of his life with you that can help you thru. Love Lynne. Bless you Bess is one of his favorite things he made up and called me.

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