Mrs Florence Owen Thompson

Mrs. Florence Lee "Flucy" Owen Thompson, 92, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 24, 2011 at her home in Columbia. Funeral services will be conducted at 10a.m. Saturday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Adair and Dr. Jon Nelms officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4 - 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Highland Park Baptist Church Building Fund, 1800 Highland Ave., Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. Flucy was born March 26, 1918 in Niagara Falls, New York, the daughter of the late William Jay Owen and Anna Wagner Owen, and came to Tennessee with her parents at age two. She grew up on Frenchman's Hill in Mt. Pleasant and played basketball and tennis at Hay Long High School. She was a graduate of the class of 1938 where she was on the State Basketball Championship Team. Flucy married Artis Elmer Thompson on December 23, 1941. After the war, the family lived in Mt. Pleasant then moved to Columbia in 1953. She was a member of Highland Park Baptist Church where she served faithfully in every capacity of the church for over 50 years including secretary for over 30 years, church choir, WMU, and handbells. She also operated Flucy's Gift Shop adjacent to Artis Thompson Photo Studio on Hatcher Lane. She received many awards during her lifetime including Columbia Recreation Program Appreciation Award; Tennessee Recreation Society Citation of Appreciation; Award for dedicated service to Senior Girls and Ladies Softball League 1971; created Columbia Girls Fast Pitch League in 1963 earning award "in appreciation for your vision and commitment." She was honored with a tournament being named "Mrs. Artis Thompson Invitational Softball Tournament" for her dedication. She remained exceptionally close to her sisters throughout her life continuing to enjoy mountain trips, bowling, summer yard sales, parties or simply enjoying being together around Flucy's kitchen table. She is survived by her son, Art O. "Butch" (Ellen) Thompson of Cohutta, Georgia and Marsha (James Ross) Woody of West Chester, Ohio; six adored grandchildren, Graham Thompson of Atlanta, GA, Sarah (Nick) Swanner of Chicago, IL, Bryn (Chris) Adamson of Athens, GA, Will Woody, Ben (Courtney) Woody and Anna Woody of West Chester, OH; six great-grandchildren, Adeline Woody of Indianapolis, IN, Payton, Carman and Calvin Woody of West Chester, OH, Delia and Ava Adamson of Athens, GA; four sisters, Sadie Carr and Gladys "Jo" Davidson both of Columbia, Ann (Deloy) Nelms and Billiej (Wayne) Boshers both of Nashville; and four much loved nieces Nancy Kay Davidson of Columbia, Patti (Pat) Lyons of Savannah, Cindy Nelms of Mobile, AL, Susan Plank of Missouri; and special nephew, John (Glenda) Nelms of Cookeville. Her grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of Volunteer Sunday School Class, DeLoy Nelms, Wayne Boshers, Ann Dillon and Estelle Littleton.