William Thompson

Billy, or Bill, as he was known as he grew up, was born in Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 2, 1951 and spent his first several years in Wyoming, Michigan. He had his parents to himself for the first 4 years, until his sister, Bonnie, was born in 1955, then another sister, Marilyn, was born in 1958.

As a young child, Bill was an explorer. He took off on his tricycle down the street while still a preschooler making his pregnant mom frantic with worry. He was brought back by a nice police officer, safe and sound. We suspect Bill got a serious scolding for that escapade.

Another time, he found a little bit of peeling paint on the side of the 1950’s family car. He pulled at it, and found it came off. So, he peeled more. And more. And more, until he had stripped paint off a good portion of one side of the car. Though it was laughed about by the family later in life, we suspect that wasn’t appreciated much by his parents, either.

By 1960, the family had moved to the Rockford (MI) area, surrounded by corn fields and cows, and lots of places to explore.

Bill LOVED to figure out how things worked. He was successful at taking apart things but it took a while for him to figure out how to put them back together. Early on, the family alarm clock was dismantled but I don’t think it was ever put back together. At least not properly.

He took after his dad (also “Bill”), in wanting to build things. Dad was a master electrician who designed and built electrical boxes for foam cutting machines, but was very much a jack of all trades”, so he was always surrounded by tools. They built a mini-bike together, with a welded frame. Later in life Bill spent several years working for Cox Company, welding electrical boxes, some of which eventually contained the wiring that his dad had designed years earlier.

As he got older, Bill developed more and more skills. In his later years he built himself a gaming computer with bought parts.

When younger, he also spent a lot of time hunting deer and rabbit with his dad: bonding time in the woods on a fall day.

When in his 20s, Bill met Jean Derr. She was older than him by 5 years, but they clicked and spent the next 50 years together. Each was a special person who met another special person to spend together for the rest of Bill’s life. Jean was at Bill’s bedside in Butterworth Hospital, the same one he was born in, when he passed away on Friday, March 13, 2026. The “Circle of Life”….

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Mr William P. Thompson age 74, of Grand Rapids, passed away on March 13, 2026. He was preceded in death by his parents, William F. and Bernice (Platschorre) Thompson; brother-in-law, Bruce R. Spaanstra. William is survived by his sisters, Bonnie Spaanstra and Marilyn (Jerry) Lomashewich; nieces, Amanda (Dan Waegel) Spaanstra and Caitlin Spaanstra; special friend, Jean Derr; and his pet macaw of 26 years, Jewel. Private family services will be held. Interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.