Robert Louis

Thompson

Robert Louis Thompson, 86, a native of Christopher, IL and resident of Hester, LA passed away on March 20, 2020.

He is survived by his wife, Mary W Thompson; children, Karen Belak (Karlo), Robin Thompson, Jeanette Crosby (Kevin), Richard Thompson (Barbara), and Robert Pasters (Mary); grandchildren, Jennifer (Belak) Deroche married to Oren; children, Beau, Sean, Sarah, Raphael, Gabriella, Victoria, Rebecca and Leah; Karolena (Belak) Jordy married to Michael; children, Karlo, Declan & Finly; Major Morgan Belak, Joseph Belak, Bridget (Belak) Sylvest, Thomas Belak, Shannon (Bittles) Darby and children, Emma and Naomi, Charles Bittles, married to Lori; child, Charles; Mabel (Bittles) Lindley, married to Kevin; children, Maddison, Klayton, Trent, Mason and Ella; Ashley Bittles, Robert L. Thompson, Nina (Thompson) Jackson, married to AJ; children, Liliana, Gabriel, Noah and Nina Sophia; Julie Thompson, Megan (Crosby) Zecchin, Dylan Crosby and friend Sylia, Logan Crosby, Jolynn Thompson, Faith Thompson, Emma Thompson, Megan Pasters and Shannon Pasters; nephew, John Patti; niece, Sharon Zogas and a special cousin, Norma Gulley.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Nina and Louis Thompson; son, Robert Louis Thompson, II; great-grandchildren 6.

A memorial visitation in his honor will be held at later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Messages from Robert's family:

Robin Thompson

I have memories, playing catch with the baseball and football. Daddy said I had a natural curve when I threw the ball, I'm left handed. Fishing with daddy in Canada and the car got stuck in the sand. My brothers and I catching tadpoles while he tried to figure out how to get the car unstuck. The memory that stands out the most, Labor Day weekend when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Dad was in Florida visiting my family to celebrate his granddaughter's return from Iraq. He wanted to return home to Louisiana after the storm. My bosses were great to let me leave work to travel with him back home. I read the map and navigated our way back to Louisiana. We ended up in a small town in Alabama  and stayed for a few days. The church and Red Cross helped him fill out important papers. We had some really good conversations. We got to know each other better as I had moved to Florida years before. It was much needed time together. He found out that I am a smart strong woman. I treasure these memories. I love you daddy. Thank you for loving me no matter what. Letting me make my own decisions in life, even if you didn't approve with them at times. Thank you for letting me find my own path in life.

Karen Belak

This photo of my dad walking down the country road epitomizes my dad. He was a simple man,  a quiet man, a man that loved nature and all that that encompasses. He loved his dog. They were such friends. My dad loved his God first, his family and his country. Even though he was quiet he made friends easily. When mom and dad moved here it didn't take him long to meet the people here and join the retired men of the parish for breakfast at the local restaurants. He will be so very missed by all his family and friends. I will miss him so very, very much. He will always be dad or daddy.

One of my memories of dad was, he was a Sgt. in the Will County Auxiliary Police Force. It was my privilege (though at the time I didn't think so) to shine his police boots and every other weekend to iron his uniform. Which meant I had to make military pleats. While in high school he gave me many rides in the patrol car, on Friday nights to the football game, as I was in the band.

Nancy Ann Thompson

Prayers to the Thompson family, as we say goodbye to a valued, kind, intelligent, good sense of humor loving man as I knew him to be... May God grant you eternal peace and Joy. Thank you for being such a wonderful loving Father in Law!! You are missed.....

Jolynn Mae Thompson

Early this morning my grandpa Thompson passed from this earth and went home to heaven. My heart break for the loss of such a wonderful individual. I didn't get to know him like I had wanted but I did get to know that he was the kindest soul. He took me hunting with my dad for the first time and taught me to swing a bat. He made my sisters and I laugh and laugh when grandma and grandpa would come and visit. I remember he was so tall that he would "accidently" forget to stoop when coming through our front door and would make such a deal of smacking his head on the doorway or the ceiling fan. When I was little my sisters, my dad and I flew out to celebrate grandma and grandpa's 50th anniversary. I remember having the whole family at the park. We played the best game of baseball in the rain. By the we were done there was not a single piece of dry clothing among us. And I remember the cheese grin that plastered his face when his stood in front of God and all of their family and loved ones when he promised to love grandma for the rest of his life. It's proof that love is everlasting and that true happiness is possible. I am so lucky that I got the chance to know you. You will be missed but I know you are at peace and will be waiting with that same smile when we all can see you again. I love you grandpa. RIP.

Nina Jackson

A very special soul went to be with the Lord last night. My grandpa. He will be missed by so many. Please keep my aunts, uncles, cousins, sister, brother, and grandma in your prayers. Especially grandma. Thank you.

Mabel Jessica Lindley

Goodbyes are never easy.....Honestly it sucks. We always want more time. When a loved one leaves this world for their Eternal resting place, do you ever find yourself wishing to ask more questions, called a little more or took more pictures. I know I do. I had not seen my grandpa in a couple of years. I would often think next year we will take that trip to Louisiana. We're never promised tomorrow. I was reassured he went very peacefully. I'm truly thankful to my aunt Karen for letting me call to say my goodbyes last night. My grandmother let me know as I was talking to him he was squeezing her hand and even though he was not verbal I know he could hear me. My grandpa Bob was a very sweet loving man. He loved my grandma and his large family very much. He will be missed by each and everyone of us. I have comfort knowing that he is in Heaven and we will meet again. Please keep my Grandpa and the family as a whole in your prayer.

Logan Crosby

Today heaven gained a real one you are one of the best men I know and will never forget the trip to Ren Lake and the things you taught me love you poppy!!

I spent all my money riding horses at Ren Lake. Then Mary and the others came to ride the horses I didn't have any money left to ride with them. At first grandpa told me I shouldn't have spent my money. Then as they were leaving he gave me some money and told to go ahead with them and enjoy myself.

Karolena Jordy

There's this man I knew. He was kind. He was strong. His loves included his wife (you really could se it on his face when he looked at her), his family, his labs, jelly beans & ice cream. He always made me feel special. During high school, I would wake up early with him on the mornings of the Grela parade. We go to McDonalds & he would treat me to breakfast. Then we would head to our spot & hold it down till everyone else made it there. He would talk to EVERYONE. He did not know a stranger. He would always sneak a cigar too & say, "Don't tell your grandmother." Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May he and all the faithfully departed rest. I love you grandpa.

Bridget Sylvest

As I was on my way to say goodbye to grandpa yesterday I couldn't help but think of a few of my favorite memories of him. He would sneak me in his room where he kept his glass beer full jelly beans and hand me a few and tell me don't tell anyone, or when I worked at Mathernes and I would catch him in the ice cream aisle  and give him a look of, you shouldn't be down here, and he would just tell me "don't tell your grandmother: and I would reply something along the lines of "don't worry it'll be our little secret", or the one that makes me laugh still is when we were little and spend the night we would always ask him to take his teeth out haha because we though it was so funny and he would make faces at us. He wouldn't do it every time but he sure did like to make us laugh. He had this way of squeezing you so tight (you couldn't breathe haha) that you could just feel all his love being wrapped around you. He had that way about him. To make you always feel so incredicly loved. What I wouldn't give for one of his really hard hugs.

Richard Thompson

Pops, what can I say. To most people their hero is a football or baseball star, etc. But, for me you were my hero. You were a man of few words. But when I needed to talk you were there. When I would stay with you here in Hester we spent a lot of time driving. Look for places to hunt. I have always and will always cherish that time. I finely felt as if we bonded. I remember a day when we were out and about, we saw a spot to check out. We pulled in and the ground was soft. I was in my cowboy boots. We got stuck in the mud. We tried everything to get the car unstuck, but alas we could not. We were trying to figure out how we would get a tow truck and my mom not to find out. We got lucky a fellow that recognized me from the Café' Perique pulled us out with his truck. I love you dad, to me you were a great man. Thank you for being the man I learned from. You truly are my hero.

Megan Zecchin

I know grandma probably wouldn't love this one but,,, At Charlie's wedding where he got silly and he let us granddaughters put makeup on him. He kept saying bring my son Bob in here he will stand up for me.

I was an art major. I had a project to do grandma and grandpa helped me out. They went through all these old photos of family that I could use for the project. I loved spending that special day with them.

One time grandpa took me on tour of Barbe Dairy.

Jeanette Crosby

Every Easter and Mother's Day dad would take us all out for the best fried chicken ever. After our dinner we would walk down the street to Tories for ice cream, we could order anything we wanted. We would then pile into the van and drive to Starve Rock State Park for a hike to the top of the Rock. That was the best time. When I moved to Texas my sister and her family, Bob, Kevin and I took my dad and mom out to Ferral's Ice Cream Parlor. We would not let dad order, we ordered for him. We ordered a gigantic Sunday for him with many toppings. He ate the whole thing. Must have been 1 gallon of ice cream. He did let the grandchildren eat some of the melted part.

Before Megan was born I was upset because my dad made my sister a cradle for her first baby, and I so wanted him to make one for me. The last time he came to Texas before Megan was born he told me to come to the back of the van, opened the doors and there was the cradle. I cried like a baby. I can not wait for my grandbabies to use this cradle. He carved "grandpa Thomson" on the underside of the cradle.

My daddy taught me to change the oil and change a flat tire.

Jennifer Deroche

Grandpa sure loved his ice cream! One of my most memorable moments of him was one year when I was really young and we went to a restaurant for his birthday. When his birthday dessert came it was the biggest mountain of ice cream I had ever seen. I wanted a taste so bad and I remember begging him for just a little bite. I always think of him when I eat ice cream; I think that's where I got my love of it from.

Dylan Crosby

I liked when Poppy would take me hunting and fishing. One year I went on vacation with Poppy and grandma. They took me to a coal mine and St. Louis Arch. They were going to take me up the arch but it was kind of closed in for them. So I went up with 2 baseball players.

Barb Thompson

Daddy T, Thank you for being the father you were and always will be to my husband, Richard. I only knew you for a short time. But for the time I knew you, I grew to respect you. The 1 ^st time I met you was Christmas. I made you and mommy a crochet blanket, a flag design with 13 stars on it. Your face lit up, and I knew in that moment you would cherish it always.

Ashley Bittles

I always remember grandpa with a smile on his face, that when you saw it you couldn't help but smile. He was always in good spirits no matter what the situation was. He was always genuinely happy to see me.

Julie Thompson

The world lost a great man last night. My grandpa was the gentle giant of our family! He showed everyone true love and his humor was infectious! I love you, thank you for always sharing your love for the woods with me! I will never forget! I know you found a good hickory nut tree up there and I know you have your 6 shot with you! J Give Pops a hug from Nina and me!