Thompson, William Edwin

William Edwin Thompson, a World War II veteran and longtime Celanese employee, formerly of Pearisburg, passed away on Thursday, October 25, 2012, at age 93. He was born in Lindside, W.Va., on February 21, 1919, to Albert S. and Lydia Meadows Thompson. In addition to his mother and father, he was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Helen Mullins Thompson; two sisters, Glenna Sue Cooke and Anna Kathleen Parise; and three brothers, Russell Howard Thompson, John C. Thompson, and Raymond Thompson. He worked for the Celanese Corporation for 40 years. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1943. He served in World War II in Belgium after the invasion of Normandy before he was honorably discharged in 1946. He retired from Celanese in 1981. For many years, he was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Pearisburg and was active in the Wesley Fellowship Sunday school class. He is survived by his daughter, Rhonda Thompson Hulley and son-in-law, Paul Hulley, both of Clifton, Va., and their three children, Martha Hulley, Meredith Hulley, and John Hulley; a special niece, Cheryl Woolwine, of Narrows; and many other nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 2, 2012, at First United Methodist Church, Pearisburg, with the Rev. Brian Burch and Dr. Fred Austin officiating. Interment will follow at Birchlawn Abbey. The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 1, 2012, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pearisburg First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 400, Pearisburg, Va., 24134 or Narrows First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 398, Narrows, VA 24124. The family is being served by Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows, Va., (540) 726-2442, and online at riffefuneralservice.com.