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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
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Date: October 21, 1998
Philip A. Thompson, retired technology manager and research physicist, dies
Morristown, Vt. -- Philip Alden Thompson, 69, who retired from the University's Division of Computer Information and Technology, died on October 21 at his home following a seven-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
Thompson's career path ranged from music to fusion energy and, finally, to computer technology. In 1992, he retired from Princeton as manager for advanced technology at CIT, having previously worked as a research physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Before coming to the University, Thompson worked at the David Sarnoff Laboratories of RCA and at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in his native Tennessee.
Born on September 16, 1929 in Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in music composition and theory. From 1951 to 1954 , he served with the Army Signal Corps, stationed in Bad Aibling, Germany. After his Army service, Thompson returned to his position as manager of radio station WUOT in Knoxville. He then earned a master's degree in physics from the University of Tennessee in 1960, and he embarked on a 25-year career in fusion energy research. He later earned an M.B.A. in 1978 from the University of Southern Illinois at Edwardsville.
At Princeton, Thompson was president of the Princeton chapter of Sigma Xi, the scientific research honor society, and was founding president of the Princeton Macintosh User Group. He was an Eagle Scout and served as assistant scoutmaster of Princeton's Troop 88 for many years. (His sons, Peter and Christopher Thompson, both achieved Eagle rank.)
He married fellow musician Joan Coulliette in 1955 after the two met as members of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his scientific career, he continued performing as timpanist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Trenton Symphony Orchestra, the Princeton Chamber Symphony, the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs, the Vermont Philharmonic and many other ensembles. However, his great love was the concert band, both as conductor and performer. He conducted the Blawenburg Band, and after retiring to Vermont, the Waterbury Band. He played clarinet and in recent years occasionally conducted the Morrisville Military Band. After his retirement from Princeton, Thompson and his wife toured with various concert orchestras and bands throughout Europe and the United States. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of Local 351 of the American Federation of Musicians.
The son of David A.R. Thompson and Elizabeth Miller Thompson, both of Worcester, Mass., Thompson is survived by his wife, Joan; two daughters and sons-in-law, Elsa and Thomas Travisano of Oneonta, N.Y., and Barbara and Michael Krancer of Bryn Mawr, Pa.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Peter and Suzanne Thompson of Princeton, and Christopher and Bessie Thompson of Burlington, Vt.; two sisters, Grace Galbraith of Marietta, Ga., and Mary Johnson of Orlando, Fla.; and six grandchildren: Michael and Emily Travisano of Oneonta, Bayard Brown and Christine and Brooke Krancer of Bryn Mawr, and Miriam Thompson of Burlington.
There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Hospice of Lamoille County, RR 3 Box 790, Morrisville, Vt. 05661. A memorial service will be held in the spring.