Richard Clough “Dick” Thomson, 86, of Inman, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System after a short illness. He was the widower of the late Margaret Moser “Tosie” Thomson and the son of the late William Clough Thomson and Mary Faulkner Thomson of Gaffney. Born and raised in Gaffney, Dick graduated from The McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN in June of 1941 and started college at The Citadel in Charleston that fall. After completing his sophomore year, he joined most of his classmates and volunteered for the Army and after boot camp in Georgia and New York State was immediately shipped off to Europe in the middle of World War II. He was wounded in France and sent back to the states to the VA hospital in Richmond, VA for several months as they tried to save his lower right leg and foot. He was awarded the Purple Heart and came home to Gaffney a war hero. Later he met Tosie and they were married on June 20, 1948. Dick worked for Milliken in both Gaffney and Union. While his children were still young, he decided to go back to school at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he commuted on the weekends and where he graduated with a BSBA in accounting in May of 1959. He worked a couple of years with Cline and Elmore, CPA’s and then became the accountant and office manager for Hamrick and Musgrove Mills for over 35 years in their Gaffney main office. He served as deacon, elder and treasurer for many years at Limestone Presbyterian Church and then as elder and treasurer at Overbrook Presbyterian Church up until two years ago when he moved in with his son and daughter-in-law in Inman. Dick was a true southern gentleman, who had the spiritual gift of encouragement. He was also a very humble man who always thought of others before himself. He will truly be missed by his many family members and friends. Surviving are his son, W. Harlan Thomson and his wife Sandy of Inman; two grandsons, James Harlan Thomson of Smithfield, NC and William Shannon Thomson of Charleston; and two sisters-in-law, Cacky Pearson Moser of Gastonia, NC and Patricia Messer Moser of Asheville, NC. Mr. Thomson was preceded in death by his daughter, Margaret Elizabeth “Betsy” Thomson; one brother, William Park Thomson; and three sisters, Mary Ellen Thomson, Willie Thomson Brown, and Margaret Thomson Carr. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at Overbrook Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will immediately follow at 4:00 PM at the church with Rev. David Weber and Rev. D.J. Horton officiating. Interment will be in Frederick Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Betsy Thomson Scholarship Fund, c/o Greensboro College, 815 West Market Street, Greensboro, NC, 27401; or Overbrook Presbyterian Church, 919 Overbrook Drive, Gaffney, SC, 29341. The family will be at the residence. An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome.com. Blakely Funeral Home & Crematory, Gaffney. Tags: 1945
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