Thompson, Irma B., 1917-2019

Irma Thompson, 102, passed away Thursday, December 26, 2019 in her hometown of Buena Vista, Virginia, where she was born May 27, 1917.

She was the only child of the late Matthew E. Blake and Edith Twitty Blake and the wife of John William Thompson, who preceded her in death.

She had a long and rewarding career as an educator, first as a public school teacher for 35 years, after which she spent seven years supervising student teachers for Mary Baldwin College.

She was an active and engaged community member, serving on numerous boards of community and government organizations and being frequently honored for her dedicated service. "I'll wear out but I won't rust out" was Irma's personal motto and up until the very day of her death, she was active in her role as president of the Colored School Historical Society, continued to attend a monthly book club, and was a supportive member of People United In Christ United Methodist Church.

May 27,1917; : I went to school here in Buena Vista. Walked to the all-black school. Then I went to Lylburn Downing in Lexington After two years we, the blacks, had to figure out a way to finish highschool Bluefield. The State College had a high school at the college. The family there
suggested that I go and board in the dormitory and finish my last two years of school there; Virginia Union in Richmond; I taught in Glasgow for thirteen years. Then I taught here. The school was where the police
station is now. That was the Park Avenue School. I had to teach in the auditorium because there was no
room for me. Johnny worked at Parry McCluer. We went to Richmond and picked out a trailer to be
brought back here for me to teach in.;