HAROLD LEE THOMPSON

70, of Danville passed peacefully at home on Saturday, April 20, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Friday, April 26, 2019 at the HAZELWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH, located south of Clayton at 9947 S. and Co. Road 0. Visitation will also take place at the church 4-8 pm Thursday, April 25.  Burial will follow the service on Friday in the Roachdale Cemetery in Roachdale, Indiana.

Harold was born to James Leslie and Imogene Isabelle (Rutan) Thompson in Libertyville, IL. He graduated from Paoli High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education from Purdue University in 1971. Subsequently, he earned 30 hours of graduate credit in agricultural education, also from Purdue.

On October 18, 1997, Harold married Rebecca Hill Fletcher and they have two children, Craig (Angie) Kinzer and Chantel (Joshua) Muntain, five grandchildren Caleb, Madison, Zachary, Tirzah and Naomi and numerous nieces and nephews. He is survived by his sister Linda (Robert) Daming and was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Richard and sister Charlotte.

Harold work for USDA'S Natural Resource Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) for over 40 years. He began his career as a student trainee and he spent the first 18 years providing technical service to farmers mostly in southwest Indiana. For 19 years, until his retirement in 2008, Harold served on the NRCS management team as an area conservationist and assistant state conservationist.  He was a dedicated public servant who had a passion for Indiana agriculture and he spent a lifetime helping farmers make their land more productive, sustainable and profitable.

After he retired Harold continued to work as an agricultural liaison with several Soil and Water Conservation Districts and watershed groups. In his community he was a member of the Hazelwood Christian Church, an Earth Team Volunteer for over 25 years, a 30-year volunteer certified Emergency Medical Technician, a 25-year 4-H Leader, and a long-time member of the Paoli Optimist Club. He served on the Wayne Township (Marion County) 4-H Advisory Board for 12 years (president for 3 terms) and as a director of the Marion County Fair Board for two terms. He was a member of the Paoli's Masonic Lodge 119 and a 51-year member of the Hoosier Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society where he served as a director for 12 years (president 1998, 2018).

Among Harold's many awards are Purdue's Agricultural Alumni Certificate of Distinction; the Governor's Distinguished Hoosier Award; the Soil and Water Conservation Society's Distinguished Fellow Award; Wayne Township Community Service Award; and Marion County Soil and Water District's Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award.

Harold loved to fish, hunt, and read, but most of all he loved helping others and spending time with his family and friends. He was known for his quick wit, his infection smile, and his kind and compassionate spirit. He was certainly a giver to all and never wanted to take anything. Words could never express what a wonderful person and friend one found in Harold, he truly will be missed.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Weaver & Randolph Funeral Home Danville. Contributions may be made in honor of Harold to the Indiana 4-H Foundation https://www.in4h.org/donation-form/ or the Hoosier Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society's Education Endowment, P.O. Box 77, Kingman, Indiana 47952 http//www.hoosierchapterwcs.org/.

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