Harry C. Thompson

THOMPSON, BARNETT, WEIPPLEHAUSER, SMITH, GREENLEE, SHEWE, LENZ

Posted By: Marion Bachtell (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 15:59:37

Source: Newspaper clipping from the Muscatine Journal...in the family scrapbook put together by Margorie F. Thompson.

H. Thompson Dies During Band Concert

Harry C. Thompson, 71, a musician of national renown and a drummer with the Muscatine Moose, died suddenly in the bandstand at Tipton at 3 p.m., Sunday as the band was playing a concert.

The band had played, "Hand to Hand" a composition written by Mr. Thompson and dedicated to one of his former directors, Armind Hand. It was announced that Mr. Thompson had composed the number and as he arose to acknowledge the applause, he was stricken with a heart attack, death occured minutes later.

With Famous Bands

Mr. Thompson played with the Sousa's band, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Philadelphia, Arthur Pryor's Orchestra, and Armind Hand's Band. He also played with various theatre orchestras throughout the country and had been recognized as and outstanding drummer.

His most recent years had been spent composing and arranging music, in teaching and judging various national drum contests. He was a member of the Chicago Local of the American Federation of Musicians, A.F. of L., of Muscatine Lodge No. 388, Loyal Order of Moose, was past commander of the Frank Bishop Post - United Spanish American War Veterans, having served in the Spanish-American War when he was just 16 years old., was a drummer for the Moose band and the pianist for the Moose degree staff.

Born at Grandview

He was born on September 11, 1876 at Grandview, the son of William B. and Mae Barnett Thompson, and had been away from this community for years through his travels with various orchestras, but had made his home here since 1930, prior to that in Chicago. He married Clara Weipplehauser Smith in 1920 in Chicago.

Surviving are his widow in Chicago; one stepson, Donald Smith, Chicago; one nephew, Harry B. Thompson, Muscatine; two nieces, Mrs. Marie Greenlee, Los Angeles, California and Mrs. May Shewe, Muscatine. His parents, four brothers Herbert G, Ralph U, Frank and William Thompson and two sisters, Carry D. Lenz and Liebbe Thompson, preceded him in death.

Mr. Thompson had been in poor health for four or five months and had been treated at the Veterans' Hospital in Des Moines for about a month.

The body is at Riley Funeral Home where it will remain for services to be conducted at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday by Dr. R. M. Shipman, pastor of the First Methodist Church. Interment will be in the soldiers' plot at Greenwood Cemetery.

Submitted by Marion Bachtell