William Key “Bill” Thompson, Sr.

Published 8:13 am Thursday, November 12, 2020

William Key “Bill” Thompson, Sr. of the Springhill community passed away peacefully in the presence of loved ones on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, in the very same home in which he had been born ninety-eight years earlier. A funeral service will be held Thursday, November 12, 2020, at 11:00 AM from the chapel of Dillard Funeral Home in Troy, Alabama, with Dr. Ben Smith officiating.  Interment will follow in the Springhill Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mr. Thompson will lie-in-state at Dillard Funeral Home for one hour prior to Thursday’s service from 10 am until 11 am.

Mr. Thompson was an almost lifelong resident of the Springhill community, departing only briefly to attend and graduate from Alabama Polytechnic Institute, to serve his country as an officer in the U.S. Army during World War II and to work in sales for a couple of years in Gadsden.  He returned to Pike County in the early 1950’s where he both ran the family cattle farm and served as a rural mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service.  Mr. Thompson was active in his community and a long-time member of the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association, serving a term as President.  He was also active in his church, Springhill Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and was privileged to lead the Adult Men’s Sunday School class.  Mr. Thompson possessed a kind, gentle spirit and was a man of wisdom well beyond even his ninety-eight years.

Survivors include his daughter-in-law, Ruth Thompson of Springhill; grandson Michael (Sarah) Thompson of Birmingham; granddaughter Melissa (David) Bradford of Springhill; great-grandchildren Carolyn Thompson, K.C. Bradford, Will Thompson and Dawson Bradford; and special companion, Nanette Williams.   Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Ward Thompson, and his two sons, William Key Thompson, Jr. and Stephen Ard Thompson.

Joe Boutwell, Dawson Bradford, K.C. Bradford, Regal Hamm, Jr., Dale Williams, Danny Thompson, Will Thompson and Jody Walton will serve as active pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers are the members of the Springhill Baptist Church Adult Men’s Sunday School Class.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions can be made in Mr. Thompson’s honor to the Springhill Cemetery Fund (c/o Nancy Hamm,1399 County Road 3339, Brundidge, AL 36010).