LOS ANGELES – James "Turk" Thompson—who was inducted into the Humboldt State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970—passed on Sept. 27, 2011, at 88 years of age. The service will be held on Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. at McCormick Mortuary in Inglewood.
Thompson played quarterback for Humboldt State in 1946 and 1947, helping to guide the team to a Far Western Conference championship in 1946. He also participated in track and field—twice capturing the conference championship in the pole vault—and was a member of the Northern California championship boxing teams.
The newspaper once described Thompson as "small, but mighty" during his playing days at Humboldt State. He was among the first black athletes who excelled as a leader at the position of quarterback during the racial turbulence of the 1940's.
In 1942, during World War II, James became a member of the distinguished 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps. He ultimately received the 2007 Tuskegee Airman's Congressional Gold Medal for his military service during World War II.
Thompson was an educator for 32 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and coached the cross country and track and field teams at Los Angeles Southwest College. He was honored and proud to have coached students who went on to play professional football and participate on United States Olympic track and field teams.
After Thompson retired from teaching and coaching, he started a family business by building Woodcrest Lodge in Riverside, Calif. Woodcrest Lodge was a home for young boys in need of shelter and guidance. Thompson, along with his son Peter, and other family members and friends, operated Woodcrest for more than ten years.
Thompson and his wife, Leonora Forrest—also a school teacher who preceded him in death in February 2000—shared 55 years of marriage and two children, Keith and Peter. He is survived by his oldest son Keith, a resident of Oceanside, and his grandchildren Jahi of San Diego, and Jamila of Atlanta, Ga.; and youngest son Peter and wife Adrienne, of Los Angeles, along with their sons Conrad and Roman.
