He married

Vera Mae Groom

(b. 1903 d. 1972)

 {Parents-Augustus Byron and Emma Elizabeth [Flowers] Groom.

 Both are buried in the Elm Grove Cemetery, Van Zandt County, TX. 

Children:

Horace Emery Thompson

(b. 1921 Van Zandt County, TX d. 1944 in Pisa, Italy). 

Buried in the Elm Grove Cemetery, SW Row 20, Lot 3, Van Zandt County, TX. TEC 5 439AAA AW BN CAC. WWII.  Full military services were held on December 1, 1948, with Reverend Harley Groom, officiating.

Alice Nadine Thompson

( b. 1924) She married Doyle Franklin Hudspeth (b. 1943
d. 1997),  Three children.
(1) Gwin Doylene Hudspeth,  Married Gerald Leland Pate. They have one son, Danny Gerald Pate.  Danny married Ann Elizabeth Teel,.  They have two children, Amber Elizabeth Pate and Seth Daniel Pate

(2) Vicka Cheryl Hudspeth , Married William Larry Payne, Four children.
Jerry Wayne Payne, married Susan Lee Graul, They have two boys, Jeremy Payne and Jordon Payne, Donny Lynn Payne, married Amy Louise Patterson , three daughters, Chelsey Suzanne Payne,Paige Taylor Payne and Summer Kaye Payne,
Andrea Nicole Payne,Married Christopher Corona.  They have three children, Brittain, Andrew and Breeana.  John David Payne, He married Magaly Ventura.  They have one son, John David Payne, Jr.

(3) Alecia Re'nee Hudspeth,  Married Terry Lee Morgan .  Two children: Christopher David Morgan and Amber Re'nee Morgan

The Reverend Willard Allen Thompson

Married Billie Maurine Sapp, (Parents: Clinton Sapp and Elsie Winegar (Shelton by adoption). He attended Mabank High School.  Served in the military from August 1945 until December 1945 and was stationed in California.  Licensed to the ministry August 1950 by the Mt. Calvary Baptist and was Ordained September 24, 1950.

Pastor twenty-five years.  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary-Diploma in Theology on May 17, 1963. He attended Baylor College, 2 years, graduated from Eastfield College, awarded the degree of Associate in Arts and Sciences on May 20, 1982.

Three children:

(1) Phyllis Gene Thompson,.  Married first Richard Wayne Moore, (divorced).  Four daughters: 
Dreama Gaye Moore,  married Michael Robert Cooper,  born to this couple two children, Michael Robert Cooper, Jr. Amanda Paige,
Rhonda Wayne Moore, Married Ronald Louis Jones,  by her Grandfather Rev. Willard Allen Thompson, born to this couple one daughter, Catilyn Marie Jones,
Robin Lynne Moore,.  Married first, Desmond Storm, (divorced), born to this couple, Kendall Reed Storm, and Mason Troy Storm, Second marriage to Lonnie Button, who had two daughters; Heather Rene` Button, and Brooke Taylor-Jo Button. 
Summer LaDawn Moore, Married John Jordon
Phyllis' second husband James Powell,

(2) Willard Brent Thompson, married Nancy Jane Miller, .  Two children: Amy Nicole Thompson, married Aaron Fitzgerald,.  They have two children, Lauryn Taylor Fitzgerald, and Cole Briggs Fitzgerald,  Eric Brent Thompson, (b. 1979 d. 2003), married Leila Tai Burch,

(3) Horace Allen Thompson

Rufus Franklin Thompson, Jr.

Married Annie Florence Jones. (Parents: Ivan Jones and Hattie Hunt).  Junior served in the military service from 1946 to 1949, stationed at Carswell A/F Base, Ft. Worth, TX and Randolph A/F Base, MS, and Germany.
Three children:

(1) Dennis Wayne Thompson,.  He married  first, Ann Dial,  (divorced).  One daughter.  Stephanie Nicole Thompson,  Stephanie married first Brian Toole, on there was one son, Cody Alan Toole, (divorced).  Second husband Steven Fite. Two children.   Cade Fite,  and Cain Fite,   Dennis' second marriage to Peggy Barron Ruthledge, ( divorced ) born to this union.  Nathaniel Richard Thompson,
(2) Deborah Elaine Thompson,  married Billy Edward Coker (divorced).  Two children: Ashley Re'nee Coker, and Jeremy Daniel Coker,  
(3) Sandra Jean Thompson,   She married Gary Lee Mills, divorced   Born to this union. Marissa Dyan Mills,  Marissa served in the Army Reserves from 1994 to 2000.  She is attending the University of Texas at Dallas.  She has an Associate Degree from Richland College in Dallas.  (4) Sabrina  Thompson (adopted child)

Joe Erwin Thompson

  Married Barbara Jean Cheek  (Parents: Will Cheek and Barbara Black Cheek).  Four children:

  (1) Jo Jeannine Thompson,   She  married Robert Griggs Holland .  Two children were born to this union.  Sarah Marie Holland,  and
Justin Robert Holland.  Bob is a computer software developer/programmer.  Jo Jeannine says that she has been teaching approximately 20 years in Highland Park ISD (3 years) and Mesquite ISD the rest.  She teaches AP Spanish IV and V, and honors Spanish III.
(2) Melanie Marie Thompson,.  She  married  first Willie Joe Metcalf, Jr.  (Divorced).  One child:  Joshua David Metcalf.  Second husband Michael Glenn Wisdom,   Born to this union.  Jennifer Lynn Wisdom, . 
(3) Ramona Rachelle Thompson,  She married first Phillip Bryon Rogers,  (divorced ).  One child.  Phillip Bryon Rogers II,   Second husband William Felix Hernandez, (divorced ).
Married third husband Jimmy Brook Hill , Jr.
(4)  Tonya Thompson,   She  married  Julian Delgado (divorced).  Two children:   Heather Marie Delgado  and Christopher Joel Delgado

Roberta Joy Thompson

Kenneth Clark Ferris and I were married in the First Presbyterian Church, 1000 Penn Street Ft. Worth, TX..  Dr. Dan Goldsmith was the Associate Pastor at that time and performed the marriage ceremony.

Nelda Alene Thompson

Married Joyce Lynn Worth,  (Parents: Alonzo William Worth and Evie Worth).  Four children:
  (1) Cheryl Lynn Worth,  She married Richard Aiello, Jr.  Two children: Richard Aiello, III  and Lee William Aiello,  Lee William has one son- Damion Lee Aiello,  

(2) Rhonda Shannaha Worth,  She married Steven Douglas Breito  (divorced).  Two children: Steven Douglas Breito II,   He married Crystal Gail Harrison. Steven and Crystal have one daughter, Cameron Haley Breito,  Michael Ryan Breito.
(3)Teresa Joyce Worth,   She married first John Clifford Wilson, (d. 1985).  Second  marriage to Tommy Russell Miller,
Two children: Tara Bailey Miller and Taylor Orion Miller, .  (divorced ). Married third husband James Franklin Thomas, 
(4) Lee Darron Worth,   He married first Michelle Woolsey, (divorced).  Born Tesla Akemi Worth,   Second marriage to Cindy Saferight,
(5) Dana Kelly Thompson Worth (adopted )  He married Sherry Lee Ann Frank on May (Her parents: Ret. Mayor Roylance John Frank, Jr. & Elsie Dianne Monroe).  One child, Devin Nicholas Worth.

Melba Lurlene Thompson

( b. April 28, 1936, stillbirth).  Buried in the Elm Grove Cemetery, SW Row 20, Lot 4, Van Zandt County, TX.

Randall Groom Thompson

,  Married first Carol Jean Bledsoe (divorced).  One son. Randy Gene Thompson,   He married Annette Rene' Nichols . Two children:  Monetta Nicole Thompson, and Nicholas Montgomery Thompson,

Second marriage to Carolyn Ruth Sanderson  (divorced).  Carolyn Ruth had two sons.  Randall adopted the sons.  They are: Walter Wilson Thompson  and Randall Leslie Thompson.

Third marriage to Kathy Norene Goodpaster,   (Parents: Stanley Elmer Goodpaster and Florence Benton Branham)  Two children: Callie Arlene Thompson
and Katie Elizabeth Thompson,

Patsy Ruth Thompson

  There were five children.

  Dawn Michele Thompson, Dana Kelly Thompson,  Nelda and Joyce Worth adopted (Adopted by Grandmother Vera Mae Thompson and after her death in 1972), Sherri Lynn Barnhill,  (This child was adopted by Junior and Ann Thompson and re-named Sabrina Thompson).  Jon Geoffrey Barnhill, Samir Ramon Barnhill

Linda Lou Thompson

(Lynda) Married first James Ray Greer (divorce).
Second marriage to Clifford Noel Taylor (Parents: Clifford (NMI) Taylor and Elsie Marie O'Dell Taylor).
Two children:
James Randall Greer,
Tammi LaJuan Greer, married Anthony Scott Gloden,

Memories

By:  Roberta Thompson Ferris
1/26/2002

Rufus Franklin Thompson, born September 1, 1898, died August 9, 1965, was the son of Joseph (Joe) Benjamin Thompson and Metter Jane Waggoner. Daddy was born and grew up in the Elm Grove Community, Van Zandt County, TX.  He had six brothers and one sister, all who are deceased at this time.  His brothers were: Doc, Tull Oliver, Jodie Thurmon, Emery T, Jewell T. and Wilford Gordon, and the sister Rooky Jane who died about 1898, the year Daddy was born.
He married Vera Mae Groom on August 22, 1920. Parents: Augustus Byron [Gus] Groom and Emma Elizabeth Flowers.  She had six brothers and three sisters.  Her brothers: Horace, Johnny, Fred, Jerome, Jesse and Truman.  The sisters: Dora and Lillian.

Mama was born in the Phalba and grew up in Phalba and  Old Bethel Communities.  Few people know that Great Grandfather Johnny Flowers donated one acre of land to build the Phalba Church where it is standing today.
They lived in the Whitton Community as farmers on the Coleman-Miles farms as well as severals in other adjoining communities and counties.  The pasture was always greener on the other side of the road to Daddy because we moved and moved and moved.  They provided for us the best that they knew how.  We were never hungry or dirty.  He raised mostly cotton, corn, and lots of vegetables.  During the summer a lot of canning, in mason jars, took place to feed the family during the winter months.  They did not have tractors or the modern day equipment, but used horses to pull the equipment.  They also had chickens, hogs and cows.  My Mother was a wonderful cook; she could make the best chicken and southern style dressing, chocolate pies (for Sunday dinners) and candied yams, all of which could easily win a blue ribbon every time. Mama loved flowers.  So there were always flowers in the garden.  We never lived in one place long enough to have flowers in the yard.

We kids attended schools from one end of the county to the next, from Whitton, Mono, Bright Star, Mabank and Canton.  It would be impossible for me to list all the schools, but I have a sister Nelda who can.  You see the kids living in the rural areas attended schools in the country.  The grades taught were from the first to the eighth, after that, you rode a school bus into the city to high school. We walked to school everyday, sometimes three miles or more.  Cold weather or hot, it didn't matter.  In 1949 or 1950, the little rural schools were all closed and the children were bused into the city.

We attended church on Sundays somewhere near by.  Before I came along, my older brothers, so I've been told, always wore white suits to church.  As I mentioned earlier, we were very clean.  Mama made all our clothing, even our coats, so I'm sure she must have made those white suits for the older boys.  And we ironed (with flat irons) everything except the dishtowels.  She told us nighttime stories and I'm going to include a copy of one of the stories, which was told over and over again for many years.  Not long ago, my sister Nelda found a copy of this story in one of her grandchildren's books and mailed it to me.  So this portion of the family book would not be complete without the story of, "The Little Match Girl", by Hans Christian Andersen.

Daddy not only farmed with the help of my brothers but on Saturdays, he went to a little feed store in the Wise Community and cut the men's hair (The farmers who couldn't get to town).  Now you know where I'm going with this story, he not only cut the men's hair we girls had our turn with the barber scissors also.  We tried to hide, but that didn't work either.  We never liked the way he would cut our hair.  Now this is funny but when I was a teenager it wasn't funny at all.
 

The Little Match Girl

Hans Christian Andersen

One New Year's Eve many years ago, it was almost dark and bitterly cold.  Snow had been falling heavily all day.  A little girl with bare head and bare feet struggled along the streets through the deep snow.  She wore only a ragged dress and a thin black shawl pulled tight round her shoulders.  When she left her home that morning she had been wearing shoes, but they belonged to her mother and were far too big for her.  As she hurried across the street to get out of the way of a cart, the shoes slipped off.  In a moment they were lost under the thick snow in a crowded street, and she never found them again.

The little girl's feet were now blue with cold as she wandered, miserably cold and hungry.  She clutched a matchbox in one hand and a bundle of matches in a tattered piece of cloth in the other, but she had not sold a single match all day.  By now lighted lamps were appearing in many of the windows, and a delicious smell of roast goose ready for New Year celebrations filled the frosty air.  People brushed past the little girl as they hurried to their warm houses with presents and parcels of food, smiling and calling "Happy Christmas" to one another through the snow.

Snowflakes settled on the little girl's hair, and at last, faint with hunger, she sank into a corner between two houses.  She grew colder and colder even though she tucked her frozen toes under the hem of her ragged dress and hugged them hard.  She was too scared to go home without selling any matches and now her hands were almost frozen too.  Dare she light just one match to warm her fingers?  She struck one on the house wall.  The light sprang up and the little girl held her fingers over the flame, picturing a huge stove with a bright warming flow.  She stretched out her feet to warm them.  Then the flame went out.  The stove vanished and she held only a burned-out match in her hand.

She struck a second match on the wall that became transparent behind the tiny flame.  She could see inside the house where there was a table filled with good things to eat.  The little girl sniffed the warm cooking smells.  Suddenly she could see a roast goose flying towards her complete with a knife and fork.  Then the match spluttered and went out, and she found herself staring at the cold gray wall again.

The little girl lit a third match and now she was inside the room, sitting under a beautiful Christmas tree covered with silver balls and bright flowing candles.  Her hand reached out to touch them.  As it did so, the match went out.  The Christmas candles shot up into the sky and turned into stars.  Then one of them fell back to earth.

"Someone is dying," the little girl whispered when she saw the star fall.  "I remember my dear kind grandmother telling me before she died that a soul goes to heaven whenever a star falls from the sky."  She lit another match.  In the first bright burst of light, her grandmother appeared, her eyes shining with love and tenderness.

"Oh grandmother," the child cried, "don't disappear like the warm stove, the roast goose and the beautiful Christmas tree!  Take me with you.  Please take me too."
Quickly she lit every single match in the bundle to keep her grandmother near her.  They burned so brightly that night turned into day, as the grandmother held out her loving arms and pulled the little girl to her.  Gently they flew up into the air together, higher and higher, to a place where there would be no more hunger or troubles ever again.

The next morning, in a corner of the city between two houses, the little girl was found with her feet still tucked beneath her and a tiny smile on her frozen lips.  In her hand she clutched an empty box.
"How sad," the people said.  "She tried to warm herself with her matches.  Poor little girl."
They did not know that the little girl was smiling because she had seen a beautiful vision as her spirit soared away on that New Year's Eve so long ago.