Elizabeth Ann Thompson

THOMPSON, ELIZABETH PALMER America’s “Oldest Camp Fire Girl” lived life to the fullest. Elizabeth Palmer Thompson, 100, of Waco died Wednesday, May 7, 2003 in a local hospital. Memorial services will be held at 11am Saturday, May 10 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel, 6101 Bosque Blvd. with the Rev. Monsignor Mark Deering officiating, assisted by Tom Robbins, Senior Pastor at Austin Avenue Methodist Church. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8pm Friday, May 9 at the funeral home. “Miss Liz”, as she is known to friends, was born June 26, 1902 in Independence, Missouri, the daughter of educators. Her father, W.L.C. Palmer, was superintendent of schools in Independence for twenty years, and her mother, Ardelia Hardin Palmer, taught Latin and math in the high school, and was a favorite teacher of Harry and Bess Truman. As Elizabeth grew up and heard her maternal grandfather’s stories of bravely fighting “the damn Yankees” in the valiant but doomed Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, she wanted to attend the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. So after a two year sojourn at William Woods in Fulton, Missouri, she boarded a train for Virginia and William & Mary. When she went to enroll she was told that Virginia girls had priority. Even then resourceful, and rather than take a correspondence course, she marched to the President’s office, and announced, “President Chandler, my grandfather, Hopkins Hardin, went through Hell with Robert E. Lee for the state of Virginia and I think I have as much right to be included as these Virginia girls!” Dr. Chandler was so taken aback by her tearful plea he wrote a note to the dean, “Admit Miss Palmer”. While there, Elizabeth pledged Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Beta Lambda chapter. Following graduation in 1926 she did graduate work at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico City, then returned to Independence to teach Spanish at William Chrisman High School, where she organized the first Spanish club. On June 30, 1927, she married Hugh L. Thompson of Kansas City, a Cornell graduate in Industrial Engineering. During the Depression of ’29 the Thompsons moved to Texas, and in 1939 to Waco. Hugh Thompson became manager of Hawk and Buck Manufacturing Company. In Waco, Elizabeth became a friend of Dr. A. J. Armstrong, whom she had met years before when he assisted her mother in organizing the Independence Browning Society. Dr. Armstrong’s Literary Survey class, with Elizabeth in the front row, was pictured in a 1944 issue of LIFE magazine, and became the forerunner of the Armstrong-Browning Library’s “Guardian Angels”. Elizabeth loved to tell the story of Dr. Armstrong conferring a “wonderful honor” on her. Although she had a degree, Dr. Armstrong continued to introduce her as a “Phi Beta Kappa from William & Mary”. When she protested, he pulled his imposing figure up to a great height and “If I what you to be a Phi Beta Kappa from William & Mary, YOU BE ONE!” Because Elizabeth had been a Camp Fire Girl since she was 10 years old, and now had two daughters, she became a Camp Fire leader in 1947, and helped initiate the program in Waco. At the time she had the distinction of being the only local leader who had actually been a Camp Fire member. Her former Camp Fire girls remember 1951 when they kept “their fingers and toes crossed” when an original jingle landed their creative leader in Hollywood to appear on Walter O’Keefe’s Double or Nothing. Elizabeth could still quote the jingle at the time of her death. The Thompson family joined Austin Avenue Methodist Church in 1943. Elizabeth joined the Hartsfield Sunday School Class and represented the class at the Latin American Christian Center for several years. At the time of her death, she was the oldest surviving member of the church. She was also a member of Pan American Round Table, and Kappa Alpha Theta alumni chapters in Kansas City and Waco, where she received her 50 year pin in 1973, and her 75 year pin in 1998. She was a Life Member of the Harry S. Truman Library and a member of the Jackson County Historical Society, both in Independence, Missouri. In 1990, she attended the opening of the Old Trails Center, which honored her mother’s title for Independence, “Queen City of the Trails”. In 1993, she attended the 300th Celebration of her alma mater, The College of William & Mary 1693-1993. On Elizabeth’s 98th birthday in June of 2000, she was honored by the national organization as America’s Oldest Living Camp Fire Girl. Two years later, Elizabeth Thompson celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends, reflecting on her long and colorful life. Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh Thompson, in 1985, and a daughter, Nancy Thompson Stewart, in 1995. Survivors are her other daughter, Martha Sue Miller and husband Bill of Waco; son-in-law Bob Stewart and grandsons, John Hugh Duckworth and Winston Stewart of San Jose, California. Also, grandchildren Linda Ozanne and husband Buddy of Dallas, Ron Stewart and wife, Penny, Raymond Stewart and wife Dorothy, all of Waco, Robin Kelly and husband, Steve of Keller and eight great grandchildren. Shortly before her mother’s death, Martha Sue found an inscription in her College of William and Mary yearbook by Carolyn Kelly “Caddo” Brewster, Elizabeth’s best friend and sorority sister, Class of ’24. Written 79 years ago, it was strangely prophetic, and sums up a remarkable life: “Liz is a true “daughter of the Middle Border”, loyal to her middle west, devoted to her books, modest in regard to her literary ability, brave in her opinions, persistent in study; and faithful to her friends. Is there need to say more?” Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com by selecting obituaries. Select “Sign Memorial Guestbook” at the top of the individual Memorial. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY