Teacher, classmates working to recognize soldier nearly 50 years after his death
WEST SUNBURY — Michael Thompson’s name has been on the leader board at Moniteau high school since 1975, when he set the record in the 100-meter dash with a time of just over 11 seconds.
Thompson is still remembered by his classmates as “the fastest kid in school,” even though he died in combat serving with the U.S. Marines in December 1978 — just a few years after setting the record.
Now, those classmates are raising money to buy a proper headstone for Thompson, who is buried in West Sunbury Union Cemetery and whose site is marked only by a simple, flat stone.
But it wasn’t Thompson’s classmates who spurred the project — it was one of his teachers, Rosemary Simmons, who learned that her former student was buried without a larger headstone.
Simmons, who retired from Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School in 1998, said she couldn’t track down anyone in Thompson’s immediate family, so she took it upon herself to try to honor a local member of the Marines.
“He was never truly honored for his service,” she said. “He was raised by grandparents. He graduated in 1977 and joined the Marines. In 1978, he was killed.”
One of the first people Simmons contacted for help in procuring a headstone for Thompson was another one of her former students, Patrick Rumbaugh, who graduated from high school the same year as Thompson. Rumbaugh said he and his classmates always knew Thompson as “Mike.”
Rumbaugh, who still lives within Moniteau School District — and right across the street from where Thompson is buried — said he was immediately supportive of honoring his classmate and friend. He still calls Simmons “Mrs. Vincent,” her former married name that she used while she was teaching in 1977.
In addition to knowing Thompson throughout his schooling, Rumbaugh played football alongside Thompson who, despite being an amazing runner, could not seem to catch a ball.
“We always teased him, he would carry the ball four times and fumble it three,” Rumbaugh said of Thompson’s football skills. “He was a very, very nice kid. Very well-liked, kind of quiet.”
Rumbaugh and Simmons are the first two members of a currently unofficial committee bent on procuring a headstone for Thompson, as well as a military banner to be placed somewhere within the Moniteau School District.
Rumbaugh dug up a 1977 yearbook, which has a few photos of Thompson. Simmons found Thompson’s obituary from Dec. 2, 1978, which includes a grainy photo of Thompson in his military uniform.
Simmons said she is trying to find a good-quality photo of Thompson in his uniform, for use on a military banner.
“Mike deserves an honor with a banner,” she said. “We’re looking for anyone with pictures of him in his Marines outfit.”
Simmons and Rumbaugh have one helpful ally in Butler County Coroner William Young III, who graduated from Moniteau high school in 1979 — two years after Thompson, but still was well aware of him. On July 21, Young was tracking down Thompson’s documents of discharge, which should be on file somewhere in the county where he is buried.
Young’s memories of Thompson are similar to Rumbaugh’s.
“I always liked the kid,” Young said. “When (Simmons) first called me I said, ‘That’s the fastest man at Moniteau.’”
Although his grave marker doesn’t include it, Thompson was born April 13, 1958, and died Nov. 28, 1978. He died from injuries suffered in a truck accident while on night maneuvers at Camp Pendleton in California, according to his obituary. He was raised by his grandparents, William and Lauretta Turner, who are buried right next to Thompson.
Simmons said she knew Thompson was raised by his grandparents, but still couldn’t track down his parents for help in honoring him. She said she is unable to even find any records of Thompson’s mother.
Rumbaugh said he was happy to be involved in honoring his old friend and grateful Simmons thought of him even though he was always “carrying on” in school.
“Things like this matter more to you now,” Rumbaugh said. “When you’re young, you don’t think of this kind of thing.”
Rumbaugh said he is considering the best way to raise money for the cause, whether it be through an online GoFundMe page or through in-person fundraisers. He, Simmons and Young are also considering creating a committee based around their mission so they can raise money as a nonprofit.
Young said the group also would use money raised to remove the marker currently on Thompson’s grave, which would take some excavating by the cemetery. Rumbaugh and Simmons want to use whatever money is leftover for causes related to Thompson’s life.
“All we want is to get some money for the headstone,” Rumbaugh said. “If there's extra, we'll do a scholarship. Maybe as just a one-time thing.”
Ever an education-minded individual, Simmons said the Moniteau school district could benefit from funds donated to the eventual committee.
“My hope would be if we do this and there's enough money, we could donate to the school,” Simmons said. “There's a track team and a football team we could give money to.”
Rumbaugh said he thinks if he and Simmons don’t properly honor Thompson now, no one ever will, so he hopes to find more people who knew Thompson and would like to get involved.
“It's been how many years? Mrs. Vincent said, ‘You know what, he deserves it,’” Rumbaugh said. “I said, ‘He does deserve that.’”
