Harold Rand Thompson

Harold Rand "Harry" Thompson, 64, retired product development and design engineer for The Gillette Company and resident of Frank Moore Road in the Culleoka Community, died Monday, May 19, 2008 at Maury Regional Hospital. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols concluding with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. conducted by Deacon Price Keller. The body will be conveyed to Mahar Funeral Home in Bennington, Vermont for funeral services and interment at a later date. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Lance Armstrong Foundation, (livestrong.org) P. O. Box 6003, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6603. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. A native of Williamstown, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Ernest B. Thompson and Barbara Rand Thompson. A graduate of Williamstown, Massachusetts High School, he earned a B.S. Degree from the University of Massachusetts and was an honorary member of Tau Beta Phi Engineering Society. Mr. Thompson was a communicant of St. Catherine Catholic Church. He built his own Formula V Race Car, built bicycles which he raced in competition, and was an avid NASCAR fan. He also ran in several marathons. Mr. Thompson holds numerous patents for The Gillette Company and was the inventor of many innovative packaging designs, including the roll-on deodorant bottle, and enabled the creation of gel deodorant. Survivors include his wife, Janet DeGregory Thompson of Culleoka, whom he married April 25, 1969; a daughter, Suzanne Thompson of Nashville; two sons, Andrew (Dr. Shannon McDonald) Thompson of Nashville and Matthew Thompson of Nashville; a sister, Priscilla (Joseph) Medeiros of Pownal, Vermont. The Thompson family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Maury Regional Hospital for their wonderful care of Harry. We know he sincerely appreciated all they did for him. The family also expresses appreciation to the friends who supported us throughout Harry's illness, especially Alicia Adams who was there with us during his last hours.