Harold E. Thompson

Harold was born on February 10th, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Alfred E. Thompson and Mildred L. Keyes. He graduated high school from McCluer High School in Florissant, Missouri. He furthered his education having earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit. His career began at BASF in Louisville, Kentucky, which ultimately earned him a position as a Research Fellow at Scott's Miracle-Gro Company, where he worked for 35 years. During that time, he was assigned and accepted the role of being a mentor to a very large number of colleagues, who would follow in his footsteps. Harold served as an Advisory Board Member of the ‘Innovation Alliance for Sustainable Food, Energy, and Water Systems’ at Ohio University’s Center for Electrochemical Engineering Research and assisted them in securing a grant from the National Science Foundation. He continued with the program at Texas Tech University. His life's work at being the best and brightest in original research afforded him with numerous secured patents with additional in progress, and 4 awards recognizing his excellence in engineering research. Recently, Harold’s co-workers decided to dedicate a process technology he developed by naming it O’Harold. Harold's legacy lives in the career accomplishments of his loving wife Betsy, whom he supported throughout her career. His daughter Caroline, is accomplished in her own right, and continues his legacy of selfless dedication to helping others, as a medical professional. Truly she exhibits Harold's generosity and courage. He fought until the end to make a better world for us all. If it were possible for him to have a regret at his passing, it would be that he would now only learn of our accomplishments from afar. Harold’s hobbies included woodworking (built from scratch a 32 foot wooden schooner sailboat and restored a 1901 Dark Harbor-17 wooden sailboat), caring for bonsai trees and a Japanese rock garden with a Hashi Bridge, tennis, sailing, the Columbus Ski Club, and spending time with his family and pets. Harold leaves behind Betsy, Caroline, his father Alfred, his siblings Evelyn and Maxine, his step-siblings Kevin, Kim, Keith and Kelly, and a host of family and friends.

Harold E. Thompson

February 10, 1959 - July 27, 2020