Thompson
Rebecca Ruth (Gilmore) Thompson, 88, passed away on September 28, 2025. She was born in 1936 in the Plainview School “Teacherage” to her parents, Clyde James Gilmore and Ina Ruth (Beatty) Gilmore. They were farmers in the Prairie ValleycommunityandIna’sfatherCharles L. Beatty was the school superintendent. His wife Dora (Fears) Beatty was a homemaker.
FollowingthedeathofRebecca’smother at an early age and her father’s military service during WWII, she and her four siblings were raised by the Beatty maternal grandparents. Rebecca “Becky” was the third child born of six and was one month shy of her 89th birthday when she passed.
Her siblings were Billie Joe Gilmore, who passed as an infant, Mary Elizabeth (Gilmore) Carroll, Charles Clyde Gilmore,MinnieRuth(Keeler)CoffeyandCharlesJ.C.Keeler.
During the 1930’s and 40’s Rebecca’s grandfather was a school administrator at several Love and Carter County schools including: Dickson, Woodford, Orr, Courtney and Love’s Valley. Because of this Rebecca knew school friends all over southern Oklahoma and stayed in-touch with many classmates. She also attended Ringling Schools in the ninth grade and was chosen as the homecoming princess.
She graduated from Ardmore in 1953 and earned the “Commerce Award” for her short-hand and typing skills, 120 WPM! She was proud to be an Ardmore Tiger and was a member of the Glee Club, Home Economics Club and worked part-time after school at Kress’s Department Store on Main Street. After graduating, she worked for Mac’s Wholesale in accounting and later for Mercy Hospital of Southern Oklahoma.
She enjoyed traveling with friends to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove, Tennessee. She was thrilled when the Oklahoma City Thunder won the basketball championship last season and was thoroughly enjoying the current winning football season of the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
In 1954, she married E.W. Thompson, Jr., and their children are Debra Vaughn of Oklahoma City, Fleet Thompson, Darla Thompson and Tania Felts, all of Ardmore and Eddie Willis of Mannsville.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; husband; in-laws, Eli and Thanet (Colbert) Thompson; beloved siblings; daughte, Darla Thompson; sister-in-law ,Ramona (Jopling) Willis; best friends James and Claudia Beaird and Gladys Webb.
Rebecca was the very proud grandparent of thirteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Holidays and family gatherings were her most precious days.
She followed her grandparent’s example by making one of her favorite Bible verses her guiding light: Luke 9:48 “The Living Bible”: “Anyone who takes care of a little child is caring for me; and whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness.”
The family wishes to thank Elara Hospice for their wonderful care.
Funeral services were Saturday October 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., under the direction of Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home. Delivering service remarks was Rebecca (Vaughn) Willeford, granddaughter.
Condolence may be made to the family online at www. hdouglasfuneralhome.com Services were under the direction of the Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home & Crematory.