James “Jim” E. Thompson, 66, of Smithland, Kentucky, left this world as “a good & faithful servant” to the community and the Lord at 3:52 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at Baptist Health Paducah. Jim started his career in 1974 with the McCracken County Police Department in the Juvenile Division and retired from the Paducah City Police Department in 2001. He started working for Occunet in 2001 as EMS Training Coorinator and completely built from the ground up the EMS Education Training Facility, TEI#029. Occunet sold to Baptist Health and the Training office continued. Jim retired from Baptist Health Occupational Medicine as EMS Training Coordinator on December 31, 2019.
He became an Emergency Medical Technician in 1983 and 1991 he became a CPR, First Aid and AED instructor for Fire, Rescue Training at KCTCS. In 1992, Jim became a Level II State Certified Fire Instructor and in 1993 became an EMT Instructor. Jim had taught over 35 EMT classes with near excellent pass rate and has trained over 30,000 students in CPR. He taught the first National Registry EMR course to ISP Chemicals in Calvert City. Jim served 20 years on the Concord Fire Department and was serving as a Training Instructor for the Ledbetter Fire Department. He also served as Training Officer for several other fire departments including, LaCenter Fire Department, Wickliffe Fire Department and Paducah City Fire Department. Jim joined the Livingston County Coroner’s Office in 2017 where he served as Deputy Coroner. He taught Police, Fire and EMS classes across the state since 1992. Jim worked PRN for Angels of Mercy Ambulance Company and Mercy Regional EMS. He was a Police Radar Instructor and Police Pepper Spray Instructor.
Jim was a member of Ohio Valley Baptist Church, Jackson Purchase Lodge #15 Fraternal Order of Police, Jackson Purchase Fire Association and Emergency Medical Service Educators of Kentucky. He was a Kentucky Colonel and Duke of Paducah and received the Life Saving Award in April of 2001. Jim served on the Board of Directors with Concord Fire Department and the Board of Directors with American Red Cross.
Jim was saved at Ohio Valley Baptist Church in Barlow, KY February of 1967 and was baptized by his father, Rev. Ezra L. Thompson in June of 1967 at Middle Landing Lake in Ballard County. He enjoyed teaching, Barbequing in the backyard, watching Kentucky Wildcat Basketball, Cardinal Baseball, feed and watch the deer at night from the back deck and TALK. Jim was blessed with never meeting a stranger! He had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people about the Lord and help their lives.
Jim is survived by his wife, Kelly Denise Henson Thompson; daughter, Krystal Denise Henson; sister, Joyce Leigh (Gary) Fletcher of Benton, KY; brother, William E. “Bill” (Brenda) Thompson of Paducah, KY; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Michael and Elizabeth Henson of Smithland, KY; several nephews, one niece and several great nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. Ezra L. Thompson and Dorothy Leigh Thompson; grandparents, Felix and Nola Thompson and George Barton and Ella Barton.
Funeral services with firefighter and police honors will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2020 at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah with Rev. Tony Jennings, Dr. Larry Purcell and Dr. David Parish officiating. Burial will follow at Newton Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, January 5, 2020 at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah.
In his own words, “I hope I was some type of inspiration to each of your lives and I hope to the ones I taught, that I taught from the love of my heart! I was tough but in today’s world “discipline” is missing!!! I was a discipline person raised by a disciplined mom and dad & proud of it! You can be whatever you choose to be if you set your mind on doing it! I wanted to be a police officer since the age of 12 because of Adam-12 and I did it forever. Life is about doing good to others and I hope I am remembered for doing just that. Like many Presidents have said at the end of their speeches especially, George W. Bush, God Bless You and God Bless America! Have a rejoiceful day!” His motto was, “As you train, you will perform”.
You may leave a message of sympathy and light a candle at www.milnerandorr.com.
