- Date Of Birth: August 5, 1940
- Date Of Death: July 25, 2018
- State: Montana
Survivors: Tom is survived by his daughter Deborah Thompson of Tampa, Florida; his sons, Mark Thompson of Great Falls, MT, Evan (Jenna)Thompson of Helena Thompson, and Leigh (Heidi) Johnson of Sherwood, Oregon; his sister, Helen Thompson, of Great Falls, Montana; his longtime friend and companion, Carmen Taylor, of Ronan, Montana; his grandchildren, Amber Shoemaker, of Libby, Montana; Andre Thompson, of Tampa Florida; Jude and Natalie Thompson, of Helena, Montana; and 4 great granddaughters.
Tom was born August 5, 1940 in Browning, Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation to Myron and Francis Thompson. He was raised in Browning and Heart Butte, Montana. Tom was previously married to Marilyn Potter, Mary Lou Miller, and Athena Mosxona. In his later years, he went on many adventures with his friend and companion Carmen Taylor.
Tom went to Heart Butte day and elementary schools and graduated from Browning High School, Browning, Montana. Tom received his Two-Year Diploma and Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education from Northern Montana College, in Havre, Montana. Tom went on to earn his Master’s of Education in Educational Administration from the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana and completed the coursework for the doctoral program at the University of North Dakota.
Tom served on many boards, including the Montana Public Board of Education; Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education; Board of Trustees for the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Board of Directors for the Association of American Indian Affairs, New York City; Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Indian Education; Chairman of the Native American Task Force on Compensatory Education; the National Indian Education Association and Montana Indian Education Association; the Council of Elders for Montana State University, and the Heart Butte School Board.
Tom received many awards throughout his career, including the Executive 100 Administrator (The Executive Editor – 1986), Educator of the Year (National Indian Ed. Assc. – 1985), and Educator of the Year (Montana Indian Educator Association – 1984), and received Presidential Appointments under Presidents Reagan and Ford.
Tom served on the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council as vice chairman. Tom also owned and operated Thompson’s Store in Heart Butte, which his parents opened in the 1940s.
Tom enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, horses, karaoke, and the occasional glass of wine.
