Melvin Thompson

Mission – Melvin L. Thompson, 85, passed away at his home after several Long, various bouts with cancer and other health problems on January 5, 2024. Melvin was born on October 26, 1938 to E.A. (Tommy) and Gladys Thompson in Edinburg, TX. He lived his entire adult life in the Edinburg, McAllen, and Mission areas with the exception of serving four years in the Navy in the early sixties.
While serving in the Navy and being stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, California, Melvin met and married the love of his life, Carol, who was also in the Navy and after Carol’s discharge, their son, Kevin, was born in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, on February 26, 1964, where Carol was living with her parents awaiting Melvin’s discharge. The couple then moved to Edinburg where Melvin finished his college degree at Pan American College and starting teaching in 1966 at Crockett Elementary in McAllen. From there they lived in Edinburg and McAllen, and finally settled into the Mission area for the past forty plus years.
Carol and Melvin had just celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary when she passed away in 2014. The couple, after retiring, enjoyed traveling and traveled all over the U.S., from coast to coast, and up into Canada several times in their small motorhome. Melvin, in his younger years, enjoyed hunting with his family and friends, and he and Carol, at one time, enjoyed a membership at La Joya Lake and would go out fishing as often as they could. They both loved to sing and sang in several choirs during their married life. After losing Carol, Melvin traded the motorhome for a small travel trailer and continued with his traveling to various areas of the country.
Melvin worked for and retired from McAllen Independent School District after 34 years of service as a teacher, coordinator, and finally as a high school counselor at Memorial High School.
Melvin was preceded by his loving wife Carol, his parents, his brother Dean, and his sister Janis. He is survived by his ever-dependable son, Kevin (Rosie) of Mission, and granddaughter, Bethany, of Grapevine, TX.
Graveside funeral service will be held on January 10, 2024, at 1pm at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen. Funeral services are under the direction of Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission.