Charles Thompson

Charles Forrest Thompson, age 86, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, passed away on October 3, 2022, at Crosslands in Kennett Square, PA.  Born in Wilmington, DE he was the son of the late Forrest Grant Thompson and the late Lois Shomo Thompson.

Charlie attended the Kennett School District and the Westtown School before graduating from the University of Delaware in 1957 as President of his senior class, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.  He was a Sergeant in the Army Reserves before becoming co-owner and President of Mushroom Supply Company and Canadian Supply.  Upon the sale of the family’s business, Charlie pursued his lifelong love of racket sports, traveling to market the Wimbledon Tennis retail line and promoting the sport of paddle tennis.

Charlie loved open spaces and the outdoors, growing up on his family’s farm in Kennett Square and traveling to Maine as a child during his summers.  As an adult, he restored several farms in Landenberg and Unionville, hunting his home-bred pack of beagles throughout Chester County.  He was a lifelong member of the Kennett Square Golf and Country Club, Chair of the American Mushroom Institute, President of Wilmington Racquet Club, and an avid car follower of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds.  Charlie loved to entertain; whether it was listening to jazz, boating the Sassafras River, fly fishing, playing a round of golf, or hosting friends for tennis and paddle tennis at the infamous Bull Frog Country Club on Ridgecote Lane.

Charlie is survived by his son, Grant W. Thompson, and his wife, Kathy, of Cochranville, PA; his son, Michael W. Thompson, and his wife, Cyndi, of Galena, MD; and his daughter, Elizabeth (Lisa) O. Thomas and her husband, Bill, of Coatesville, PA.  In addition, he is survived by his siblings, Phyllis Gardener of State College, PA, Bob Thompson of Bozeman, MT, step-sisters Paula Szczuka of Middletown, DE, Diane Brown of Landenberg, PA, his beloved dog Rocky and four grandchildren; Mathew Thompson, Emily Thompson, Kendal Thomas, and Win Thomas.

You are invited to join Charlie’s family and friends for a celebration of his life on Saturday, 3:00 pm, October 15, 2022 at Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds, 1549 W. Doe Run Road, Coatesville, PA. Interment will be held privately.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Cheshire Land Preservation Fund, P.O. Box 983, Unionville, PA 19375.  Arrangements are by Matthew J. Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. ( 484-734-8100 ). To view his online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com