Richard Austin Thompson

 

Reverend Richard Austin Thompson
Interim Pastor: Sept.–Dec.1995 and again from Jan.–June 2001.

Richard Austin Thompson was born on August 28, 1933, in Tarrant County, Texas to Vernon B. and Lurline Dilla Hurlock Thompson. Following graduation from Amarillo High School, he enrolled in Oberlin College, graduating in 1955; an Oberlin photo is shown at right. He next graduated from the Yale Divinity School. He served as pastor of churches in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, Glen Ellyn, Illinois and Austin, Texas.

 

 

In 1964, Rev. Thompson moved to DuPage County to serve as pastor of the Southminster Presbyterian Church, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. While there he developed and taught a course, History of Illinois-Du Page County, at the College of DuPage; he wrote a chapter for the county's bicentennial volume DuPage Discovery - 1776-1976; and authored Around the Arboretum for the DuPage County Historical Society.

In 1985, Du Page Roots, an award-winning history of DuPage County and its municipalities, written by Rev. Thompson, was published by the DuPage County Historical Society. Surveying the history of the county from the Ice Age to the present with the aid of historians and historical society members throughout the county, Rev. Thompson wrote the first six chapters. The remaining 26 chapters, one chapter for each municipality in Du Page County, were written by the 26 experts, each one considered an authority on the history of his assigned subject. `It took three years to research and write the book,`` said Rev. Thompson. Du Page Roots is a 300-page volume that includes 200 illustrations, 125 photographs and appropriate maps. An online version of the book is available by clicking Du Page Roots.

Rich's wife, Margaret, founded Hospice of DuPage

Rich was pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church of Austin from 1986 to 1995. He initiated a capital improvement program, community outreach programs, and banners over Eighth Street to highlight the worship services and the concert series. In 1989, the church was recognized by the Texas Historical Commission as a historical site, and a marker was placed in the courtyard. Rev. Thompson had experience in ecumenical broadcasting, which he put to use developing a public affairs series. For eighteen of his twenty years in Austin, he hosted “Austin Faith Dialogue,” on KTBC-TV, the CBS affiliate.

Following retirement, Rev. Thompson served two interim appointments at the Congregational Church of Austin, four months in 1995 and six months in 2001. He was an active member of the Men's Book Club and played tennis regulary with a group that included a number of church members. Rich delivered a memorable sermon, complete with period costume, as John Frederick Oberlin, namesake of Oberlin College. John Frederick Oberlin was an Alsatian pastor who pioneered educational programs, established schools, built roads, and introduced the trades of masonry and blacksmithing throughout poor communities in France.

Following the death in 1998 of his first wife, Margaret, whom he had met at Oberlin, Rich married Jane Neth Thompson in 1999.

Rich and Jane currently live in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In 2015, The Homelessness Prevention Initiative honored Rich Thompson, president of the InterFaith Council and Faith Family Housing with the "Golden Glove Award" for catching families before they fall. "This is a brand new community award," said Amanda Hodge, HPI executive director. "We hope the community will come out and support Mr. Thompson for all he has done."After moving to Fort Collins in 2006, Rev. Thompson initiated the Interfaith Dialogue radio series on KRFC, where he regularly conducted interviews pertaining to the Homelessness Prevention Initiative.

On October 17, 2019, at the Yale Divinity School Alumni Reunion, Rich gave a presentation entitled, "The Spirituality of Mister Rogers" It told of his interaction with Fred Rogers and the significant impact Rogers and his television show has had in so many areas of our culture. You can read the presentation here: The Spirituality of Mister Rogers.

Rev. Rich Thompson and Fred Rogers, 1994.

Letter from Fred Rogers to Rev. Rich Thompson.