Glen Allen Thompson

Glen Allen Thompson died Friday, April 5, 2019 at Presbyterian hospital of natural causes. He was born Monday, October 3, 1932 near Hollywood, Missouri to the late Glen B. Thompson and Dona Warbritton Thompson. He grew up near Portageville, Missouri and graduated from Wardell High School in 1950. He worked for Chevrolet in Flint, Michigan until he enlisted in the Air Force and served one year in Korea with the 452nd BW(L) at K-9. He was also stationed in Great Falls, Montana, Washington, D.C. and Cheyenne, Wyoming. After his discharge in 1954 he entered the University of Missouri and was awarded a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering in 1958. He was then employed by the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA. He remained in the Air Force Reserve attaining the rank of Master Sergeant and was awarded a direct commission to 1Lt in 1961.

While pursuing the MS degree he was recalled to the Air Force during the Cuban Missile Crisis and reported for duty in January 1963. He had to persuade his Orals Committee to meet during the Christmas vacation in order to complete his oral exams for the MS. The degree was conferred in June 1963. He reported to Cheyenne, Wyoming for his first assignment to Kimball, Nebraska where he worked as a construction coordinator on the MinuteMan Missile System. He was transferred to Great Falls, Montana in 1965 where he was the Project Engineer for the HF Radio and Antenna System for the entire MinuteMan fleet. In 1967 he was selected to serve as a Military Research Associate at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. In 1970 he was transferred to Arnold Engineering Development Center near Tullahoma, TN where he was the Project Engineer for construction of the Dust Erosion Tunnel which was used for testing materials for re-entry vehicles. In 1973 he was transferred to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM where he was the Configuration Manager for the TRESTLE project, the world’s largest wooden structure.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1978 with the rank of Major he was employed by Bell Helicopter Engineering Division in Fort Worth, TX where he was the chief writer for the Scout Helicopter System Specification. He returned to Albuquerque in 1981 to work as a Configuration Manager for Analytical Systems Engineering Corp. He returned to Bell Helicopter in 1991 and worked on many of the Bell helicopters. He designed the database to track the documentation of meeting the technical requirements for the Osprey (V-22) Helicopter. He retired to Albuquerque in 1998.

Glen loved travel. After he and Neta retired, they took several trips to Europe. He enjoyed greatly a trip that took them to locations where different hymns had been composed. His favorite site was that of the writing of The Rock of Ages. He was a long time member of Montgomery Church of Christ and all his life he was active in the church of Christ. He and Neta were part of a square dancing club in Kimball, Nebraska. He tolerated camping for the girls, and taught them how to fish. He enjoyed working on Corvairs, and was a member of the Corvair Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico for many years. He was a master mechanic and always took care of his fleet of seven Corvairs. He won first place at the NM 1975 state fair for his Corvair truck. The family discovered he had been on a bowling team and won a league bowling championship in 1974-75 in Albuquerque, NM. He was an active supporter of African Christian College in Manzini, Swaziland. He traveled to visit the school and assisted them with an irrigation system for the macadamia orchard that has become a major income provider for the school. This was the ultimate trip for him.

Glen and Neta moved into the Woodmark Uptown in 2004. They made many friends and considered the staff and residents both friend and family. He was the president for the resident council for the last fourteen years. He loved being the ‘king’ of the Woodmark. He will be greatly missed by his family and his Woodmark family.

He is survived by his daughters, Susan Emma Thompson Tucker and husband Mike of West Jordan, Utah; Jane Thompson Hasenmueller and husband Steve of Santa Fe, NM; Glenda Joyce Thompson of Santa Fe, NM; six grandchildren, Michelle Tucker Rautis and husband Rob of Salt Lake, Utah; Paul Hunton of Lubbock, TX, Matt Hunton and wife Sara of Portales NM, Christopher Tucker and wife Rachel, of Palmdale, CA, Sierra Salazar of Albuquerque, NM, Forest Salazar of Portland, OR; and ten great grandchildren, John Rautis, Tre Hunton, Emma Hunton, Kate Hunton, Payton Hunton, Faith Tucker, Paige Hunton, Hannah Tucker and George Hunton. He is also survived by his two sisters, Rosemary Ritchie and husband James and Amy Mulligan and husband JL; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was proceeded in death by his wife, Neta Joyce McCulloch Thompson in 2014 and his grandson, David Shawn Hunton in 2018.

A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, April 9, 2019, 2:00 p.m. at Woodmark Uptown,  7201 Prospect Place N.E. Albuquerque. NM. 87110.

Memorial contributions may be made to Albuquerque Christian Children’s Home, 5700 Winter Haven Rd NW 87120 (505) 898-5520. or Please mail donations from the United States to: African Christian College PO Box 70033, Albuquerque, NM 87197.