Linda Minor Thompson

1949 - 2022

Linda Minor Thompson was born on March 7, 1949, in Wichita, Kan. She died at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 2, 2022.

Linda graduated from Sandia High School in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1967; B.A. from Harding College (voice major); M.Ed. in Counselor Education from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; and Ed.D in higher education from Memphis State University. She obtained two certifications (one advanced) from Appalachian State University in Developmental Education.

Linda loved music and loved singing. She was active in her high schools music events and her beautiful singing voice garnered her a music scholarship to Harding College in 1967. Her involvement in high school chorus translated to the Harding Acapella chorus. She loved touring with the chorus and her packing partner, Molly Mason Douglas.

Her caring and kindness were legendary and necessary to balance out the shortcomings of her husband. She was proud of the success of her students. She nurtured many through various programs she directed – PASS, Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars programs – she was the initial director of each of these.

Linda loved everything Disney. This is well-attested to by over 100 trips to Disney World. Also on the list of favorites was Harry Potter. Linda and her sister, Sara, spent three days at Universal Studios meeting members of the Harry Potter cast. Her Hogwarts regalia is still hanging in the closet.

Throughout her life, she was involved professionally. She was president of the Arkansas Association for Developmental Education (ARKade). She was nationally recognized by being elected president of the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE). While president of NADE, she was invited to speak at an international conference on developmental education in Scotland. For many years she was the chair for the Accreditation Council of NADE. Additionally, she served on the editorial review boards for the Journal of Developmental Education, the Journal of College Reading and Learning and the CASP Journal. She co-authored "Factors Influencing the Teaching and Learning Process" in the revised NADE guidelines. She was named a fellow of the Council of Learning Assistance and Developmental Education (CLADEA), the field's highest honor. Her dissertation focused on centralized vs. noncentralized developmental education and was required reading in various doctoral programs. She was nationally and internationally recognized as an expert in her field.

For many years, she sponsored the Sign Language Club – one of her true passions. Her love of sign language started as an undergraduate at Harding College. She and her husband, Travis, did mission work among the deaf in Michigan during the summer of 1970. She taught Bible classes for the deaf when she was a member of White's Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, La., from 1971-73. Upon returning to Harding in 1985, she resumed her interest in sign language and scheduled interpreting services for the deaf at College Church of Christ.

Showing exceptional taste, she married Travis Thompson on Aug. 29, 1968, after knowing him for less than a year. She is survived by her husband Travis; son, John (Annie); sister, Sara; brother, Steven; and two grandchildren, Wes and Chase. She was preceded in death by her father, Earl Minor; her mother, Jean Minor; and her sister, Lisa Minor Romero.