William D. Thomson Jr., 75, passed away on Jan. 23, 2024, at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown.
Those who knew him called him Bill, Mr. Bill, Will, Willem, or Tommy – as well as many other names that can’t be repeated.
To many, he was a legend. The reasons are varied, but it had much to do with his personality. To be around him was to be surrounded by witty and crass humor, generosity, self-deprecation, sage advice, competitiveness, kindness, goofiness, stubbornness, and dogs. Dogs loved him.
He was born May 27, 1948, and until the age of seven lived in Andes. Many of his childhood photos capture a boy with a playful grin and a dimple in his chin, who was always outdoors. Camping, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the whims of life as children do. He grew up in Delhi and graduated from Delaware Academy in 1967. More than once he told the story of how he was almost kicked off the DA basketball team for refusing to cut his hair. Bucking the system, when justified, delighted him.
He lost his only brother, James Thomson, in a tragic accident in 1963. This would be one of several defining experiences of his life.
The next would come at the age of 19 when the military draft called his number for the Vietnam War. He was trained as an Army radio teletype operator and served a term in Vietnam. This time greatly impacted him and fueled many of the complexities of who he was. War has a way of doing that.
In 1970, he met and fell in love with Julie Card. They married in March of 1972 and had three children: Jason, Seth, and Kylee. The family remained in Delhi with William holding a mail carrier position at the USPS for approximately 35 years. His position kept him fit for all the years he skied, played town softball, and roughhoused with his boys in ‘mini-ball’ at home.
One more name he held was Grampa Bill. He was a proud grandfather to Joselyn and Lauren (of Jason/Amanda); Carson, CT, and Connor (of Seth/Katie); and Ellery and William, his namesake (of Matt Lindberg/Kylee). When asked to share their fondest memories of Grampa, they listed playing cards, catching minnows, pillow fights, four-wheel rides, whiffle ball lessons, seashell searches, and campfire chats. They all adored his Donald Duck voice; he adored using it to make them giggle.
His years in retirement were filled with him spending time with his family, snow-birding with Julie in Vero Beach,Fla., sharing his amusing adages with anyone who would listen, playing solitaire, and eating late-night snacks and sweets. He was known for eating ice cream off a plate; just one more way in which he followed his own set of rules.
The days leading up to his passing were filled with visits from his closest family members. More jokes, more laughs, some tears, and even a few more rounds of pitch with his cousin, Charles (Chuck) Thompson, whom he considered his honorary brother. We imagine he is off somewhere mingling and partying with his parents, his brother, and all the other family members and friends who passed before him. The dogs surrounding him, begging for his treats, as always.
Calling hours will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at MacArthur Funeral Home, 134 Main Street, Delhi. A celebration of William’s life will occur May 25 at the Delhi American Legion Post #190.
Donations in memory of Bill may be made to Delhi American Legion Post 190, 41 Page Ave., Delhi, NY 13753.
Visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with the Thomson family.
