John Raymond Thompson

John (Jack) Raymond Thompson, age 95, of New Braunfels, TX. (Formerly of Canyon Lake, TX and Camarillo, CA.) passed away February 28, 2018 at home with his loving daughter and son-in-law at his side. He was born on October 22, 1922 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to James Reginald Thompson and Edna Louisa Patterson Thompson. From an early age, Jack relished spending summers in the 20’s & 30”s with his grandparents Sara & James, and Uncle Kelly, in Hamilton, Canada where he worked with his grandfather, at the J. A. Thompson’s Boat Works on the bay. The family was recognized for building fine sail boats and motor craft. There he developed his sailing and boat building skills and later became a competitive yachtsman in Southern California where he was based with Continental Airlines. Jack became a naturalized US citizen in 1933 (age 11) when the family relocated to Youngstown, Ohio. As a teenager, he worked at Youngstown Garage, where he parked, washed, and delivered cars to raise money to buy his own car so he would have transportation to a local airfield where he worked sweeping out hangers, cleaning airplanes and doing odd jobs to earn money for flying lessons. From age 5, Jack became obsessed with flying and 16 years later, 21 yr old Lieutenant John R. Thompson was assigned as a flying instructor at Army Basic School in Garden City, KS where he met and married the love of his life, Maydee Lois Woodruff, of Monte Vista Colorado. After a very brief courtship they were wed at the Garden City, Kansas Army Air Field on Dec. 14, 1943. Jack continued in service to his country as a pilot and after Instructor’s School at Randolph Field in San Antonio was deployed to the Asiatic Pacific as a pilot with the China Offensive from May to Sept 1945. He flew the C-47 loaded with supplies, cargo, farming equipment, food, and mules from Burma/India over The Hump (the Himalayas) to China, assisting in the war effort against Japan by providing direct support to the Chinese Army. “The Hump” was considered the world's first strategic airlift, and the most dangerous. Just days after the Allies bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II; Jack was selected to fly an unidentified agent to Shanghai, landing the first American flight to that city after the war. He recalled that news of the surrender had not reached many in that area, and never learned the purpose of the top secret agent's mission but on that trip, was honored to have tea with Madam Chiang Kai-Shek. Jack served his country proudly in the Army Air Corp from June 1942 until May 1946. After his military obligation was fulfilled, Jack was hired by Continental Airlines in Denver. A side note, he was hired on the spot (after a check flight) by Continental, while Maydee waited in the car! Jack was based in El Paso for a brief time until he was called back to duty during the Korean Conflict and based at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. where he flew transport flights to support the war effort. It was during this posting at Lackland AFB his daughter Janet Lynn Thompson was born June 11, 1952. They resided at Billy Mitchell Housing. Jack returned to Continental Airlines based in El Paso and was later transferred to the newly opened base at Los Angeles International Airport flying the new Boeing 707’s. During the Viet Nam Conflict in the 60’s, Jack flew Continental Airlines’ military troops transport to the Orient and Viet Nam. During his career, he set a record for the longest nonstop flight from Clark Air Force Base, Philippines to Denver Stapleton Airport. Later broken by a Flying Tigers crew. “Captain Jack” piloted the DC-10 for Continental until his retirement Oct. 22, 1982. Jack was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Maydee Lois Thompson, who passed away on March 29, 2014, and by his sister, Margaret Theodore and her husband, Costen Theodore. Survivors include his daughter, Janet Lockhart and husband, Jon; grandchildren, Jennafer O’Neal and husband, Shane a United Airlines Captain, and Scott Lockhart and wife, Corinne. He adored his great-grandchildren; Catherine O’Neal, Cambry O’Neal, Calum O’Neal and Kai Lockhart; nephews Douglas Theodore and wife, Pamela, Ronald Blair and wife, Ev and Robert Blair, niece Sharry Blair all of Colorado, and numerous cousins from Hamilton, Ont. Canada. A Memorial Service is scheduled for 10:00 AM on March 21 at the Lux Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow with full military honors at 2 PM at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, where Mr. Thompson will be laid to rest with his wife. In lieu of flowers, please honor Jack by making a donation to your favorite charity.