Arthur Lewis Thompson Jr., 84, a lifelong resident of Bradley County, died Thursday evening Jan. 12, 2012, at his home in Cleveland.

He was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Cleveland. He served his country in the United States Army during World War II in the 837th Engineer Aviation Battalion, and received the U.S. Army Distinguished Victory medal. He retired from Bowater Paper Co. after 35 years of service as a machine operator.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Thompson Sr. and Easter Lillie Wells Thompson; his wife of 54 years, Ollie Jewel Miller Thompson; sisters: Josephine Mathis, Zella York; brothers: Ollie Thedford Thompson and Mary Jane Brewster of Cleveland; daughters: Hilda Marie Thompson and Mary Jane Brewster; granddaughter, Veronica Lynn Thompson; and great-granddaughter, Trinity Collins.

Survivors include his son, Gregory Allen (Frankie) Thompson Sr.; daughter, Gayle Thompson of Cleveland; sons: Steven Blair (Cynthia) Hutchinson of Elkhart, Md., and Eugene (Shellry) Smith of Cleveland; grandsons: Gregory Thompson Jr., Jeffery Thompson and Michael Thompson, all of Cleveland, and Rafael Taylor of Richmond, Va., Terrance Cleveland of Knoxville, and Benjamin and Brandon Hutchison of Elkhart; granddaughter: Alanna (Marco) Collins of East Ridge, Tanashi Lattimore of Cleveland, and Phaedra Brewster of Sweetwater; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Cecil (Louise) Thompson of Cleveland, and sisters-in-law Vivian Thompson and Helen Miller, both of Cleveland, Alice Smith of Sweetwater, Doretha Daniels of Long Beach, Calif., Mary Lois Crawford of Oakland, Calif., and Katie Mayott of Hixson; and an aunt, Juanita (Herbert) Baker of Cleveland, Ohio; and many special nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral will be held Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, at 1 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with pastor, the Rev. Edward S. Robinson Sr., delivering the eulogy.

The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the church from noon until 1 p.m.

Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens with military honor guard.

Visitation by friends will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday at M.D. Dotson and Sons Funeral Home.

Words of comfort may be submitted at www.mddotsonandsons.com.