Robert Thompson
Mr. Robert Douglas Thompson, age 84, husband of Mary Cecil Jones Thompson of Burgin, Ky. passed away on Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
Robert was born on March 8, 1928 in Gratz, Ky. (Owen County) to the late D.W. and Jessie Criswell Thompson.
On September 11, 1951, he married Mary Cecil Jones and they had two children.
Robert moved to Burgin in December 1935 while in the second grade. His father was the new president of Citizens’ Bank and Trust Company. At Burgin Independent School, he played varsity basketball and football and was a member of Boy Scout Troop #44. After high school graduation, Robert attended Centre College for two years, and attended and graduated from Georgetown College in 1950 with a degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After college, Robert moved back home to Burgin and began working as bookkeeper at Citizens’ Bank and Trust Company.
In September 1951 he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Cecil Jones. They dated for 7 years and were married for 60 1/2 years. Robert was soon promoted to Assistant Cashier at Citizens’ Bank, then Head Cashier and Vice President in 1968. In 1973, he became President and Chairman of the Board of Citizens’ Bank and Trust Company. In 1984 the new state of the art banking facility was built on Main Street in Burgin. This was certainly one of Robert Thompson’s finest achievements. Robert was also owner of McCrosky and Thompson Insurance Agency in Burgin, a 50 year business begun by his father soon after Thompson moved to Burgin. Citizens’ Bank and McCrosky and Thompson Insurance were two of the longest run family owned businesses in Burgin and Mercer County. In 1991, Citizens’ Bank was sold to Farmer’s National Bank. Robert remained an active board member until age 70 and also served as an Advisory Board Director for Farmer’s National Bank for several years.
Since 1977, Robert has owned Southwestern Farm on Buster Pike where he was a part-time farmer, raising cattle and growing crops. Robert was a member of the Kentucky National Guard-1st Lieutenant, retiring after 12 years. He learned to fly an airplane and was a member of the Burgin Lions Club. He was co-owner of Kentucky River Marble and treasurer of the board of directors, was a member of the Kentucky Bankers Association, and was a Kentucky Colonel. Robert was a member of Burgin Baptist Church from 1935-2002, serving as trustee and church treasurer for many years. He was co-chairman of the building committee when the new church was built. Since September 2002, Robert has been a member of Harrodsburg Baptist Church.
Robert was treasurer for Burgin School for 20 years and was Burgin City Clerk for 8 years. During this time, he was instrumental in getting the City of Burgin connected onto the Harrodsburg waterline. When Pleasant Hill Drive was developed, he named the new subdivision and had the water line run up Pleasant Hill Drive. He was a volunteer fireman for the City of Burgin and personally drew up the plans and was instrumental in getting the fire house built in 1956. He was named the Burgin Independent School Outstanding Alumni for 2012 and was honored at the high school graduation on May 25.
Robert was a Christian gentleman who always devoted himself to his church, his family and toward the betterment of the Burgin community. He was a loving, faithful and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Robert was a respected man of the highest character and integrity, with a humble and generous heart.
Robert is survived by his loving wife of 60 ½ years, Mary Cecil Thompson, two children Susan Douglas Thompson (John) Barrington of Burgin, Robert Cecil Thompson of Pompano Beach, Fla., one granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth T. Barrington (Cliff) Dawson and one great-granddaughter Kyndall Elizabeth Dawson.
