Artis Thompson

Mr. Artis Elmer Thompson, 85, retired chemist, photographer and resident of Morningside Avenue, died Thursday, August 4, 2005 at Life Care Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Saturday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Adair officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4- 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Highland Park Baptist Church Music Ministry, 1800 Highland Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Huntsville, Alabama native was the son of the late John Thompson and Cassie Neal Thompson. He attended Lincoln School in Huntsville. During the Depression he worked in the CCC as a pastry chef in Oregon. An early interest in photography was encouraged by his mentor and friend, E. Price. Mr. Thompson used his talent to serve his country during World War II. While serving in the Army Air Corps he was a staff sergeant in charge of the photo lab and often photographed sites from airplanes. After the war, the family lived in Mt. Pleasant then moved to Columbia in 1953. Mr. Thompson worked as an analyst for Victor Chemical and for Hooker Chemical which later became Occidental. He operated a photography business on the downtown square and later opened Artis Thompson Photo Studio on Hatcher Lane. He was a member of Highland Park Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Florence Lee "Flucy" Owen Thompson of Columbia; one son, Art "Butch" (Ellen) Thompson of Cohutta, Georgia; one daughter, Marsha (James Ross) Woody of West Chester, Ohio; one brother, Earl (Loveal) Thompson, of Huntsville, Alabama; six grandchildren, Graham Thompson, Sarah Thompson, Bryn (Chris) Adamson, Will (Traci) Woody, Ben (Courtney) Woody, Anna Woody; five great-grandchildren, Adeline Woody, Payton Woody, Carman Woody, Delia Adamson, Ava Adamson; four sisters-in-law, Sadie Carr, Gladys "Jo" Davidson both of Columbia, Ann Nelms, Billiej Boshers both of Nashville; and several nieces and nephews. Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Karen Burgess, Don Craft, Jerry Phares, John Demastus, Sam Beddingfield, John Lynn, Roy Dye, Wayne Stanfill, Gene Lindsey, Jerry Norman, James Ross Woody, Deloy Nelms, Lloyd Boshers, Bill Jones, Dr. Gibran Naddy, and members of the Adult Sunday School Class V at Highland Park Baptist Church.