Danny Thompson

Danny Lanier Thompson, 73, passed away on Father’s Day, June 19, 2022.  The second of four children, Danny was born to Mable Douglas Thompson and Robert Lanier Thompson in Henderson, Tennessee on October 29, 1948.  The family made Texas their permanent residence in 1961 and settled in Channelview, where Dan would live until he moved to Brenham in 2018.

He graduated from Channelview High School in 1966. He began a career working for the Port Terminal Railroad Association and Houston Belt and Terminal Railway that lasted for twenty two years.  He married Bobbye Jean Skinner in September of 1974.  Five years later, his daughter Lauren was born.

Known for his conversational stamina, Danny spent considerable time as a car salesman. He also did work as an oil man, a restaurant manager and briefly had his own barbecue restaurant.  When he wasn’t working, he was on a perpetual hunt for the perfect trophy bass and a 1957 Chevrolet, a passion he passed on to his grandson.  He loved to work the concession stand at his home church, Dell Dale Avenue Baptist Church, during their Friday evening volleyball league.  He eagerly fired up his barbecue pit with his church brothers for fundraisers for the church youth group.  His weekends were filled with suppers, cards and dominos at his parents’ kitchen table with his siblings, nieces and nephews.   As often and as faithfully as he could, he travelled back to his home state of Tennessee, determined to join his cousins to prepare the hog for the annual Douglas Family Reunion.

An early and unexpectedly difficult battle with cancer promoted Danny to full-time Paw Paw in 2006, right around the time his first granddaughter was born.  This was his favorite job.  In 2018, he and Bobbye moved to Brenham to be closer to their grandchildren.  They both served as volunteers in the Kid’s Klub Ministry at Brenham’s First Baptist Church for the last two years, and it was his joy to do so until his terminal cancer diagnosis this spring.

Danny is preceded in death by his parents, Robert “Tuffy” and Mable Thompson.  He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Bobbye Skinner Thompson of Brenham; his daughter and son-in-law Lauren Thompson Shelton and Ross Shelton of Brenham and beloved grandchildren Audrey, Elizabeth “Libby” and Garrett Shelton; older brother Robert “Bobby” Thompson and wife Judy of Winnie, Texas; sisters Marilyn Thompson Ball and husband Kenneth Ball of Webster, Texas; and Cynthia “Cindy” Thompson Miller and husband Mark Miller of Channelview, Texas.  Danny leaves behind cherished aunts and uncles; twenty one first cousins; six nieces and one nephew; seventeen great-nieces and nephews; countless relatives and friends over the years who have been an invaluable encouragement to Dan and his family his last few weeks.

On Sunday, June 26, Brenham’s First Baptist Church will host a service of remembrance at 4:00 P.M., at 2715 South Market Street in Brenham.  Visitation will follow immediately in the Commons.  Bobbye and Lauren respectfully request, in lieu of flowers, that family and friends consider making a donation to Go Drill International through their website at godrill.org.