The following article titled, 'BRAD THOMPSON A MAN OF MANY TALENTS' was written by Friend and Post 240 Legionnaire, Stuart Chilton, a freelance writer, whose articles have appeared in the Stephenville Empire-Tribune newspaper and Erath County Living Magazine. This article appeared in a 2010 edition of Erath County Living magazine.
'BRAD THOMPSON A MAN OF MANY TALENTS'
Brad Thompson has been a major part of Erath County ever since he made his initial entry into this world on August 2, 1923. The 91-year-old Erath County native is still active in the business world of Stephenville. He continues to maintain an office downtown where he oversees his mini-storage rental units, which are located throughout the city.
Thompson lived his early years in Bunyan, where he completed his first seven years of public school. The family's farm home was three miles from the school. Thompson explains his early education this way, "I walked those three miles each day to school and the three miles back home. My legs would often get tired, especially when I was in the first grade."
In 1936, after he finished the seventh grade, his parents moved to Stephenville. He enrolled as a freshman in Stephenville High School in September of that year. He completed his freshman and sophomore years at SHS.
When he broke up with his Stephenville girlfriend, he decided to transfer to Dublin High School. It was at DHS he met his future wife, Betty Watson.
At the age of 17, he withdrew from Dublin High School and headed west to work at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, CA. He wasn't alone in this western adventure. Two other young men, Phillip Price and James (Doc) Turner (both Deceased) also made the trip. Thompson points out, "The three of us had been working at Doyle White's service station in Stephenville. The lure of high hourly pay prompted us to quit our service station jobs and head west."
The aircraft facility was manufacturing B-24 bombers. These bombers were four-engine planes and were known as "Liberators." Before Thompson could start working at Consolidated, he had to be 18 years old. He lacked two weeks of being 18. When the two weeks had expired, he began his work at the aircraft plant, which was located in downtown San Diego, adjacent to Lindberg Field, the city's main airport.
The trio's mode of transportation for the 1,400-mile trip to California was an old Pontiac belonging to his sister and brother-in-law. Thompson reflects, "Yep, that old Pontiac carried the three of us to San Diego. During the trip, the auto used 27 quarts of oil. It seems we were pouring oil in the engine about every hour. The three Erath County Texas teenagers were in San Diego when Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941.
Thompson later returned to Texas to work at the Consolidated Aircraft plant in Fort Worth. Because of his aircraft experience, Brad could have received draft deferments throughout the war; however, he chose to enlist in the Army.
Thompson gives this explanation for gaining entrance into the Army Air Corps; "I was told by an Air Corps officer that if I was drafted into the Army and would agree to go immediately overseas, I could enter the Army Air Corps as a buck Sergeant. The offer was primarily due to my experience in working on airplanes at San Diego and Fort Worth. Persons with my experience were needed in England for maintenance on airplanes attached to the Eight Air Force. I agreed with the offer, and I was quickly sent to England; however, I never did receive the sergeant’s stripes." He further explains, "I went in as a private, and when I was discharged two and one-half years later, I was only a private first class."
Before enlisting in the Air Corps, Thompson married Betty Watson on January 23, 1943. She had graduated from Dublin High School in May, 1942, and they were both living in Fort Worth. Betty was working for radio station KFJZ. This marriage lasted more than 64 years. Following an extended illness, Betty died on July 20, 2007.
Thompson says one of the most exciting events he witnessed in England was when the first German "Buzz Bombs" hit London. He was on a four-day leave in London when these destructive bombs first hit the British Isles. He points out, "These were rocket-like bombs launched from Belgium and Holland. Later, the German perfected the 'V-2 Rocket' bombs. These two types of bombs were deadly." History would later reveal about 16,000 persons, primarily in London, were killed by these bombs. After Allied forces seized the launching pads in Belgium and Holland, the bombings ceased.
Upon his discharge from the Air Corps in December 1945, Thompson returned to Fort Worth, where Betty was still living and working at the radio station. Brad worked for a short period at Consolidated before joining the Paul Revere Life Insurance Co. as a salesman. In a short time, Thompson joined the Harry Brauer Insurance Agency in Stephenville, and the couple relocated. In 1948, Brad began his own insurance agency. He operated the agency for 42 years before selling it to Dwayne (Butch) Fraser in 1990.
When asked about his family, he speaks of two sons, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The former insurance agency owner, says, "Let me refer to my 'traveling office. '" His "traveling office" is a small 2x3 card neatly filed in his billfold. On the card are the names of members of his family with birth dates, etc.
Four of the grandchildren are quads, belonging to Tab and Debbie Thompson of Stephenville. The quads, three boys and a girl are; Patrick, Reagan, Daniel and Kayla. The Quads are Texas A&M graduates as is their father, Tab. Mother Debbie is a graduate of the University of North Texas. Tab is an Erath County Judge. Tim, Brad's older son & wife Rita live in Lubbock. Tim and Rita are Tarleton State University alumni. Tim is presently employed at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. They have two children - Blake, an attorney in Stephenville; and Tara, a banker in Tyler. Blake has two children while Tara has three. Blake's wife is named Paige while Tara's husband is Kenneth.
When asked to name some of the most unusual happenings during his almost 50 years in the insurance business, Thompson replies, "I can think of two things. One was insuring an 18-wheeler that was hauling peanuts to Hershey, PA, for the Hershey chocolate company. The other was insuring cattle semen for a local rancher. The semen was being shipped to a foreign country. I might add both items reached their destinations without any problems."
Although he sold his insurance business 20 years ago, Brad is not completely retired. He points out, "I go to my office every day. My secretary of more than 50 years, Joanna Lay, keeps things moving along in a positive way with the mini-storage facilities."
The active Erath County native has at least five hobbies. He has 75 scrapbooks containing an abundance of information about his family, his business and news items about Stephenville and the Cross Timbers area. He has also collected more than 2,000 picture postcards. In addition to these, he maintains stamp and belt buckle assortments, and as he says, "I have a few coins in my collection."
He has been very active in various organizations in Stephenville some are; Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club (60 years), American Legion and numerous other organizations.
He has served on the Stephenville ISD Board plus taken an active part on countless committees in the city and county. Thompson points out, "I am most proud for being one of the organizers of the Stephenville Industrial Foundation."
Regarding his participation in various organizations, Thompson says, "I believe one of the most interesting assignments I ever had was serving as a delegate from Texas at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in 1960. I was a delegate for Lyndon Johnson for President. John Kennedy won the nomination, and Johnson was nominated for vice president." Upon the death of President Kennedy in 1963, Johnson assumed the presidency. Brad was a good friend of Johnson; however, this friendship later diminished. Thompson says, "He [Johnson] made a Republican out of me."
When people want a project completed, Thompson's name is usually the first name to surface. As many of his friends say, "Brad Thompson is a worker - he can get the job done."
Thompson says his philosophy about life boils down to four items - "Work hard, have fun, live a clean life and make good friends."
