Here are just some of the many stories Waitsburgers shared with us about Bill Thompson:

He and my husband were very good friends. He and his first wife moved to town and lived across the street from me. We got very well acquainted. Bill has been part of the family. He was involved in the Masonic Lodge, First Christian Church, was parade marshal in 2004, was Lions Club president in 1977, Lion of the Year in 2000, Commercial Club president in 1982, won the service award in 1988 and was part of the historical society and ambulance board. He lived right up the street and after my husband died he helped turn my water on and off and kept the bird feeder filled. He would visit once or twice a week and I kept a bowl of candy bars for him. He called me a "pinhead" because I lived here for so long. He was right there to help anytime and always had a joke. -Bettie Chase

From the day I began as superintendent seven years ago, I remember Bill Thompson as always being a strong supporter of schools. He came in to introduce himself to me and I quickly learned of his great sense of humor and dedication to our community. Whenever I would run into Bill, he would always remind me that he was just a phone call away should I need anything. And, I knew he meant it! I looked forward to when he would stop in to pick up the keys to the kitchen as his eyes were always smiling and sparkly. I'll greatly miss enjoying Bill's 'secret chili recipe' at Hometown Christmas. -Dr. Carol Clarke

Bill would come in with the 6 a.m. coffee crew and they would stay here for two hours each morning. I've known him for about two and a half years, since I started working (as a waitress at the White Stallion). He used a special black cup. He had a brown one, but it broke. He would only drink out of his black cup.They retired his cup Monday morning. He was active in town and got along with everybody. He would come in five out of seven days a week, he would come in for one minute before church on Sundays. They gave him the worst time of everybody. That was his sense of humor. They tossed his cup in the garbage to retire it, but I'm going to take it out and put it on a shelf in the back. They had his chair flipped up for him too on Monday morning. -Melissia Sharpe

We at the Post Office used to like to play tricks on him, like "where was his newspaper?" One time, we shredded his Union-Bulletin paper and put a personal notice in his box to come get it. I told him "I have no idea what happened, mail processing must have wrecked it. He's a bright spot and it's too quiet in here. He would come in three times a day, pretending it was a bank or a restaurant and he would ask for chili. It's hard to put it in words. We all have heavy hearts today. If I didn't have a dad, I would have wanted him to be my dad. -Caroline Wendt