In Memorian Richard (Dick) Thompson
April 27, 1939 – July 8, 2021
Richard (Dick) Bernard Thompson passed away peacefully on July 8th, 2021. His wife of 59 years Doris Thompson was by his side as he was called to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My father Dick Thompson (Sumbo) was a Missionary to the Kuwaa people for 10 years in Liberia, but his heart was planted there from the moment his feet hit the ground. He and my mom Doris arrived in Liberia in 1970 and began their decade long mission, alongside the Stellings, working passionately to bring the love of Jesus to the Kuwaa people. Their work focused on developing a written version of the Kuwaa language, teaching people to read and write their own language, and working on a New Testament translation. During our time in Liberia we lived with the Kuwaa people in Konjade(our adopted village) much of the time. We lived with the people and they treated us like family. The teaching and translation work was interrupted in 1980 with the military coup in Liberia. My parents had previously decided to return to the US for our ongoing education and chose to stay in the US after our return in 1980. My dad’s heart remained with the Kuwaa people and this led to the co-founding of the Kuwaa Mission in 2008 with his long time friend Rev. Dr. D. Jensen Seyenkulo.
My father was born April 27, 1939, to Harold and Tatiana Thompson in San Francisco, California. On June 3, 1962, he married my mother Doris Lee Wisman. My parents were blessed with four children me (Todd), Rachel, Bradley, and Samantha. He received his bachelor’s degree in theology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois in 1964. He did his vicarage between 1962 and 1963 at Our Redeemer in Silverton, Ohio before taking a call to Eureka Montana. In 1976/77 he completed his masters in Linguistics from San Jose State University in San Jose, California in support of his ongoing language and translation work in Liberia. After returning to the US and serving ministries in California and Alaska he received a Master of Sacred Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne Indiana in 2001. He continued his education and a received a Doctor of Ministry from Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport, Louisiana in 2004.
My father was a loyal servant for 41 years as a pastor and teacher in Montana, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Liberia and Nigeria. His passion was mission work and he approached everything from a perspective of serving others while offering the message of salvation.
For me and my siblings, he was much more than his service; he was our rock and a constant example of a purpose driven life. He was serious in his work but never took himself too seriously. He was patient, kind, loving, funny, and sarcastic. He loved us unconditionally and prioritized us in all things. Most important to me was that he was Human. He was not perfect and never pretended to be.
He loved all people and truly loved experiencing different cultures. He was especially fond of the unique foods that each culture creates, and he recognized the value of food as a bridge to friendship. Liberian food remains a staple in my own home and is always the meal we want to share when we gather as a family.
My father was also a talented sportsman who among other things chose service to God over multiple offers to play professional baseball. He loved fishing and hunting, but was happiest in a quiet place with a fishing pole and a hook in the water. Fish or no fish, it didn’t matter. I picture him in heaven in the middle of a fully stocked lake in a comfortable seat enjoying a good day fishing, free of pain.
I helped my parents move to Lincoln California in 2017 to be closer to me and so I could be there to support them. I was blessed to be able to see my parents regularly for the first time since my first year in college. My sister Rachel and I were with them both in the weeks before his passing and I was blessed to be at his side with my mother when he was called home.
My parents commitment to each other, their strength, and their faith have always been inspiring to all of us. Please pray for my mom to find peace and a new normal. I am looking forward to having her closer to me and to sharing many more years together.
Your support for the Kuwaa mission and the Kuwaa people meant the world to my father. He was forever grateful that he was able, through the efforts of the many Kuwaa mission volunteers, to help his second family, the Kuwaa people. He wanted deeply to return to Liberia but his health prevented him from making the journey. The pictures and stories from the Kuwaa mission work were his connection to the people he loved very deeply. A personal thanks from the Thompson family for all of your support for the Kuwaa Mission over the last 13 years. My God bless you and your families. With respect and admiration, Todd Thompson
A short note from Ed and Diane Stelling
The first time Diane and I met Rev. Richard Thompson was oddly enough through a cassette tape that he sent us from Liberia while we were in training for missionary ministry with Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT). It consisted of a welcome from Dick and his Kuwaa coworkers after we had been assigned to the Kuwaa Bible Translation/Literacy Project. He also included greetings from our Kuwaa coworkers who taught us some basic Kuwaa conversation phrases acquainting us with the language and some basic customs that we could study prior to our arrival in Liberia some 6 months later. Several months later we met Dick along with our Liberian coworkers, Francis and Forkpa, at the LBT office in Orange, CA. They had come to the States for a series of informative presentations in California, Illinois and Missouri regarding the ministry of LBT and raising funds for the Kuwaa Project. They also gave us our Kuwaa names of Fongbana and Janga and participated in our commissioning service at our home congregation, Christ Lutheran in Costa Mesa, CA. This was a unique commissioning in that the people we were sent to as missionaries had representatives to welcome us and participate in our commissioning. Diane and I along with our children worked with Dick and Doris and their children from 1973-1979. Later in 2010, we joined the Thompsons and Rev. Seyenkulo in forming the Kuwaa Mission, providing over 15 fresh water wells, a medical clinic and numerous health and ministry programs for the benefit of the Lutheran Church of Liberia and the Kuwaa communities. We praise God for this wonderful ministry relationship we have enjoyed over the years with the Thompsons and miss Dick with his love for God and the Kuwaa people.
Well done, good and faithful servant of our Lord!
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