Title: 1) Teacher; 2) Commissioned Officer
Company: 1) Bellevue Public Schools; 2) U.S. Army
Location: Snoqualmie, Washington, United States
Lawrence G. Thompson, teacher at Bellevue Public Schools and commissioned officer with the U.S. Army, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in education and military service.
With 30 years of experience to his credit, Mr. Thompson excelled as a teacher with Bellevue Public Schools from 1968 until his retirement in 1998. Throughout his educational career, he taught a program called “Driver Education Traffic Safety” for 15 years. He likewise focused on teaching American and World history before becoming a full-time history teacher at Sammamish High School. Concurrently, he garnered a stellar reputation through his military service with the U.S. Army Reserve from 1965 to 1993, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Before embarking on his professional path, Mr. Thompson pursued an education at the University of Washington, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1965. He continued his academic efforts at Central Washington State University, obtaining a Master of Education in 1974. He concluded his studies at Texas A&M University where he completed coursework towards a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
Mr. Thompson received branch training at the U. S. Army Military Police School and as a reservist also graduated from programs at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Air Force’s Air War College, the U.S. Naval War College and the National Defense University. His last unit command was the 315th Criminal Investigation Unit and his last assignment was teaching in the Command and General Staff College nonresident program.
While at the University of Washington, Mr. Thompson fulfilled the requirements to join a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) unit and opted to serve with the U.S. Army. He was commissioned in 1965 and began training at Fort Gordon in Georgia. He received his initial duty assignment at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Shortly thereafter, he received the summons for deployment to Southeast Asia, with his branch specializing in military police.
Beyond his responsibilities within the field, Mr. Thompson has participated in numerous endeavors outside of his professional circles. He has contributed to more than 60 charitable organizations, many of which he identified through Charity Navigator, a charity assessment organization that evaluates thousands of charitable organizations based in the United States. Furthermore, he has dedicated significant amounts of time to various roles within his church in addition to his volunteer work at a local food bank and The Discovery Center for Family History Research for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mr. Thompson’s wife, with whom he had been married for nearly 50 years, embarked on a passionate 11-year teaching career that commenced in 1985 following her recruitment by the Kent School District. However, her teaching career came to an abrupt halt due to a tragic car accident that left her immobilized. Retiring from teaching himself in 1998, Mr. Thompson is immensely grateful to have devoted himself entirely to caring for his wife until her passing in 2014.
Mr. Thompson is the proud father of three daughters and three sons, five of whom have obtained master’s degrees in their respective fields. His eldest son, Matthew, has thrived as the vice president of a nursing home company, while his third son, Shawn works as a civilian employee for the U.S. Department of Defense in Omaha after retiring with 20 years service as a B-52 pilot. His late middle son, Peter, garnered a doctorate in optometry prior to his untimely passing. Much like their mother, all of Mr. Thompson’s daughters followed a path into education, with his eldest daughter, Tamara, teaching in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seminary system while his other daughters, Laura and Wendy, are discovering their own path as teachers in the Tacoma School District and the Snoqualmie Valley School District. Moreover, Mr. Thompson has proudly welcomed 22 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren into his family.
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