Margaret Drody Thompson Obituary

Margaret died free of pain and anxiety, in hospice, Friday, January 17, 2025, following a fall in her home November 24, 2024, successful treatment for a femur fracture sustained in that fall, and complications that arose during her treatment. She was moved to hospice January 10, 2025.
Margaret was born in Jacksonville, Florida, April 21, 1931. Her parents were Harold Orson Drody and Bernice Alice Floyd Drody of Jacksonville, Florida.
Margaret attended Flagler Elementary School #7, and Landon High School of Jacksonville, Florida. She was a member of Landon High School's National Thespian Society, newspaper, athletic associations, Choral Club, and a member of the halftime football entertainment precision marching group, the legendary Lionettes.
She worked 1950-1954 as Personal Secretary to her father, Southeastern District Sales Manager of Wickwire Spencer Steel Division of CF&I, Atlanta, Georgia. She attended the Atlanta School of Fashion and Modeling about 1951.
Margaret Louise Drody Thompson was the wife of Kenneth Reed Thompson for 53 years and 6 months of happiness, interrupted by his death. He was born in Alma, Georgia and predeceased Margaret in 2005 after a long fight with prostate cancer. Having married "Reed" March 22, 1952, at the Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, they, together, lovingly raised their sons Larry Stephen Thompson (born 1954) of Charlotte, North Carolina and Fred Lamar Thompson (born 1957) of Verona, Wisconsin. Margaret enthusiastically and selflessly poured herself into the lives of her husband, children, family, and friends. Incredibly, she also found time for a broad variety of interests and pursuits that added vitality and color to the entire family's life. She once wrote, "I was always a fortunate woman all of my life to have a father, a husband, and sons who mentored me in anything I thought of doing." Moreover, she often made material financial contributions to their lives and well-being.
In Roanoke, Virginia she served as a Den Mother of Cub Scouts 1957-1963 and served as Boy Scouts Music Merit Badge Counselor 1971-1974.
She graduated from Radford College (now known as Radford University), Radford, Virginia with a B. S. in Music Education in 1970. Here, she was elected to Mu Phi Epsilon (honorary Music); Kappa Delta Pi (honorary Education).
She was a lyric soprano soloist receiving training throughout her life, first from her mother, "Bun" Drody, who was also a soprano and performed as a soloist in churches and WMBR, Jacksonville, Florida radio. Margaret went on to train with Ruby Leit of Jacksonville, Florida; Eula Transou Ligon of Roanoke, Virginia; and Helen Robinson of Roanoke, Virginia. Later, at Radford College as a voice major, she was taught the Bel Canto method of naturally connecting voice registers by Italian Opera Singer Nicolo Lomascolo.
Margaret served as a church soloist 1945-1977 and as a church choir director for West End Methodist Church, Roanoke, Virginia during 1980. She continued to sing, at friends' requests, into her old age.
She taught primary and secondary level music in Bedford and Roanoke Counties, Virginia for ten years, during which time she was recognized and listed in the International Book of Honor, Personalities of America, Two Thousand Notable Americans, Personalities of the South, and elected to the American Biographical Institute Research Association and the Honor Roll of Biographies.
She served 1959-1962 on the board as a Director, First Vice-President, and Recording Secretary of the world's largest music club, The Thursday Morning Music Club of Roanoke, Virginia which presented a yearly concert series to the area working through the great impresario Sol Hurok while he was resident in New York City. Margaret served as the Chairman of the Concert Series for the years 1961-1962, bringing new energy and the highest ticket sales in years to the event. She also served this club as Public Relations Officer for many years. She served them so ably they asked her to continue indefinitely as a salaried Publicity Chairman, which she declined.
She was named CITIZEN MOTHER by the League of Women Voters, Roanoke, Virginia in 1962 in conjunction with Guest Editor, Roanoke World News for Municipal Days Celebration. She also served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the League of Women Voter's Political Forums in Roanoke, Virginia.
She received the award for OUTSTANDING SERVICE to the Roanoke County Education Association and the National Education Association in 1980 for helping to negotiate the highest pay raise for teachers in that county to that date, and for her lobbying efforts.
She was given an award for OUTSTANDING SERVICE to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers SoutheastCon in 1979 in Virginia.
Leaving teaching in 1980, she worked briefly as a Tour Director for a firm in Abingdon. Afterward, as a freelance writer and feature reporter for the Salem Times Register, she also worked, on assignment, covering a Conservative Political Action Committee fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C. and President Reagan. She contributed content to the Roanoke Times from 1959 to 1982. She also served as a lobbyist in Washington, D. C. for the Roanoke County Education Association and other causes she was passionate about.
Her publications covered many subjects: "My First Music Book," "Choral Primer," "Rhythm, Rhyme and the Sea," for her school students; "The Family Association Newsletter, Droddy, Drody, Drawdy & variants," "The Gentlemen Byrd, Grendon, Lanier and Stegge, Outstanding Founding Fathers of Faith from England to America," and "Maj. Pruella Henri Droddy, Pioneer Nurse WWI," for her genealogy work; for her Roanoke, Virginia Science Museum's Planetarium, an Astronomy program and publication, "Beauties and Beasts of The Midnight Sky, Evolution, Myths, and Legends as seen from Northern Skies," edited by Kenneth Reed Thompson; and "Hurricane Harry, The Raccoon," for her grandchildren. Some of her publications may be found in the Library of Congress, Parkersburg and Charleston West Virginia Libraries; the DAR Library; various Missouri, Texas, and Georgia libraries of ancestor locales; Lanier Cottage; Macon, Georgia; and the FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. There are also Genealogy postings for Collet of England, Schoonover and Westfall of the Netherlands, and various contributions to the Internet under her name.
In her rock-hounding pursuits, she donated the only sample of Sclectarian coral mold from the Cooper River Marl Beds at Charleston, South Carolina to the collection of the Smithsonian Institute. Her interest in mining also led to the creation of her New World Amber Company, an amber importation company started June 2, 1983, which imported for museums and businesses until December 3, 2021.
She served as Secretary for the Jamestown Society in Southern Florida, where her Johnson cousin Carolyn Hargrove was Governor, in 2000; as Treasurer of Gen. Marion's Brigade, DAR, Moncks Corner, South Carolina 2009-2010; and as Corresponding Secretary, Jamestown Society, First South Carolina Company, 2011-2012.
Her lifelong interest in genealogical research granted her memberships in: Rebecca Motte Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Charleston, South Carolina, through Virginia Frontiersmen Jesse Hughes and William Droddy of old Virginia, Thomas Mills and Benjamin Lanier, founding father of Screven Co., Georgia, and George Ruff, Justice of Newberry, South Carolina; Colonial Trails Chapter of Colonial Dames XVII Century, of Charleston, South Carolina, through the Laniers; The Huguenot Society of South Carolina through the Laniers; Jamestown Society through Virginia pioneers the Grendons and Byrds; The Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters (Jamestown, for Edward Grendon); the United Daughters of The Confederacy of Roanoke, Virginia through John Lanier McIver; and the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames through Barent Jacobsen Kool and many other Dutch ancestors of her grandmother Margaret E. Pierson Drody of West Virginia and Florida.
The Journal of the Clan Iver Society 2007, Fife, Scotland announced: "The Clan Iver Society has decided to thank Mrs. Thompson for her sterling work over the years in raising the profile of Clan MacIver by awarding her a Clan shield and conferring upon her the title "Honorary Member"... Margaret established the Clan MacIver Society in America, sponsored the McIver tent at Scottish Games, and published genealogy for the MacIvers. Her maternal grandmother was Alice Viola McIver, daughter of John Lanier McIver of Florida whose ancestors pioneered settlements in the panhandle of Florida."
Margaret was preceded in death by parents Harold Orson Drody (Atlanta, Georgia) and Bernice Alice Floyd Drody (Atlanta, Georgia), husband Kenneth Reed Thompson (Pinopolis, South Carolina), sister Mary Ellen Drody McKay (Texas), nephew Hal Drody, III (Texas), and daughter-in-law Rebecca Angela Herbert Thompson (Charlotte, North Carolina), as well as her father's twin brother Harry O. Drody (Ireland) and her father's other brother Eugene W. Drody, Sr. (Miami, Florida). She sadly leaves her family: sons Larry Thompson (Charlotte, North Carolina) and Fred Thompson (Helen) (Verona, Wisconsin); grandchildren Rebecca Eryn Lanier Thompson Bracco (Paul) (McLean, Virginia), Mary Elizabeth Thompson (Mason Swanson) (Verona, Wisconsin), and Benjamin Patrick Thompson, (Portland, Oregon); as well as three great-grandchildren. She leaves siblings: Carol Ann Drody Zeleznik (Englewood, Florida), Annette Drody Adams (Lebanon, Tennessee), Harold Orson Drody, Jr. (Atlanta, Georgia); as well as nieces and nephews: David Zeleznik (Summerlin, Nevada) and Dr. Matthew Zeleznik, M.D. (Jackson, Wyoming); Bill, Charles, and Doug Yancey, and Linda Yancey Singleton (Texas); Jerry and Scott Donham (Florida); Chris Donham (Tennessee), Stacy Drody (Atlanta, Georgia) and close cousins Joan Drody Lutton, and Eugene W. Drody, Jr. (Miami, Florida).
Arrangements by PARKS FUNERAL HOME, 130 W. 1st North Street, Summerville, SC 29483. www.parksfuneralhome.com
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