HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-04-29, Page 14
Single Copy 35e
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29,. ,1!
24 PAGES
Editor's., Note:
The following article appeared -in the
Bowmanville Canadian Statesman March
18. A. M. Thompson was raised in 'the
Lucknow area, the son. of the late David
Thompson and the former Isobel MacKen-.
zie. He ,attended Lucknow Public School.
and Continuation School ; Win ham . High
► g
School and Stratford " Normal School,
1927-28:
He started teaching at Kintail, S. S. 3,
Ashfield, 1928-29 and taught the next four
years, 1929-33, at Murray's School, S. S. 9,
Kinloss:
He returned to Stratford Normal School
for his permanent teaching. certificate, a
provincial requirement ` in that . year,
1933-34 and then taught for a short time in
Toronto.'
Mr. Thompson accepted a position as
Supervising Principal ' of . Bowmanville
Public School in 1936. '
he has served as secretary of the Library
Board, , chairman of ' the. Bowmanville
Planning Board and was.; First Principal
Palestine Chapter. He is'presentiy chair-
man of the Museum Board,
-He was also active` on the Northumber-
4and ,and Newcastle Board 'of Education,
leading the (polls in three elections. He was
chairman of the board in 1979 '
The third son of a family of five boys, .he
is the first cousin of the former editor-. and
publisher of the Lucknow Sentinel, Camp-
bell`Thompson, Miss Helen Thompson and
Harold "Bud" Thompson, all of Lucknow
and also Frank ;MacKenzie, Lucknow.
The Sentinel would like to thank Charlie
Webster for bringing' the story to our
•
attention and assisting us inacquiring
copies of the pictures, which accompany
the article, as well as biographical
�,'hical
P .."
information about Mr. Thompson. •
A special. `Recognition Night' was held for
Andrew M. Thompson of Bowmanville on
Wednesday at the Lions Community Centre.;
fortunately enlarged recently, • and able to
accommodate the nearly 250 people who
attended.
Mr. B "Thompson was beingreco 'nized: for
P
his many years of dedicated.' .community
service in a wide variety of capacities. Since
he arrived in 1936, Mr. Thompson has been
principal of Central Public School, Supervis-
ing Principal of Public Schools, was trans-
ferred to the Purchasing Department of the
Board of Education when it was formed in
'1969, later acting as liaison officer with
schools. He resigned in 1973 and was elected
board trustee in 1974, became chairman in
1979 and retired in 1980.
During all : those years, he was also
involved at varying times with the Museum
Board, Planning Board, Hospital Board,
Conservation Authority, Recreation Commit-
tee and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery,
becoming' chairman of several' of them. In his
spare ' time, - he held most of the official
positions.: with the Bowmanville Lions Club
and is now its senior member. He also has
been Clerk -of : Session and Chairman (Man-
agement Board of St. Andrew's ' Church.
banquet and„program were organized
by the °`Board of ; Education. Thea"tLioness
ladiesprepared- the food with `the members
acting, as waitresses,
oodward convicted
of second degree nur
er
felldown a fl iight of stairs resulting in her
A Saginaw, Michigan man has beencon-
victed of -second degree murder in the death
of his estranged wife whose charred body
was found in a .wooded area of Ashfield'
• Township in March of 1980. ,
Gene Woodward, 29.. was convicted April
23 of murdering. Kimberley Jean 'Woodward,
'24, of Carrollton,: Michigan, following a
three week trial in Saginaw. A total of 48
witnesses testified.. at the trial including
Constable Gary. Martin of the Goderich OPP.
The prosecution argued Woodward should'
be convicted of first, degree (premeditated)
murder charging that the motive was
custody of the couple's four year old son.
The jury returned a verdict of .guilty on the
lesser charge claiming the prosecution had
not proven without a doubt the murder was
premeditated.
During the trial Woodward testified he
and his wife had one of their usual vicious
arguements and she had attacked him with
broken bottles. During a scuffle, Woodward
saidhe attempted to push her away and She
New doctor.••
COflflfl
A new doctor has applied for privileges at
the Winghani and District Hospital, Execu-
Live Director Nortrian Hayes reported'. to
members of the hospital board April 15.
Dr, Walter Wong will be joining Dr. J.
Chong Ping at the Wingham Medical
Centre.
Dr. Ping said Dr. Wong is a experienced
family practitioner from Burlington who has
been practicing in Toronto. He will be at the
Medical Centre three days a week until he
Turn to page 2e
death.
The prosecution admitted evidence show-
ing the probable cause of death was
asphyxiation. • • • ,
The events wich followed the murder
leading to the discovery of the body on
H6rizon View Road in - Ashfield Township
were revealed during the trial. ,
Following Mrs. Woodward's death.
Woodward said he panicked and fearing he,
would be charged wwith her murder, hid the
body in his garage.
Ile stored the frozen body until March 23
when he drove,to Ontario and left the body in
a wooded area of Ashfield Township, after
attempting to burn it by pouring gas over the
body and setting it on fire. The body was
discovered- by Ashfield farmer John Mac-
Kenzie on March 25.
Following the discovery of the body, the
Ontario Provincial Police issued a composite
drawing of the victim and a sketch .of" her
wedding rings which werefound near the
body. The victim remained unidentified for
three weeks until April 18 when' police
announced they had traced the • rings • to a
Michigan. jewellery store and the names of
purchasers of 28 sets of the rings..
Police .later discovered Mrs. Woodward
had been reported missing by her .family
several weeks earlier. Positive identification
of the victim was made and poliee issued a
warrant for the arrest of her estranged
husband.
After police contacted Woodward at his
Saginaw home concerning the rings, he fled
to Texas and then to Nassau County, New
York State where he' was later arrested at the
home of his parents. His four year old son
has been staying with his parents in New
York since he was arrested, Apri1.27, 1980.
Woodward will remain in custody at the
Saginaw County Jail for sentencing in about
a month. °
Retiring Board Chair -person Sheila Parker
was Master. of Ceremonies and ,other head
table : guests included former trustee and
friend of the 'honoured. guests, Stew
McTavish, Mrs. Thompson, Mayor Garnet.
Richard, present` Board Chairperson • Eliza
beth Patten and Director Of Education, Doug
Sifton. Meeting details were arranged by
Superintendent H.O. Knapper.
In addition to those who made presenta-
tions,.shown in the accompanying photos,
other speakers included the Rev. Wayne
Chatterton . who said Grace, former Director
•
of Education, Frank Thom, Mr. McTavish,
Mr. Sifton, Bruce Lush of Bowmanville Lions
and BHS Principal Earl Wolff, all of them
expressing their admiration of `Mr. Thomp-
son's devoted efforts over the years. Mr.
°Wolff also' announced that a scholarship in
Mr. Thompson's name, was being set;up "by
the board for Bowmanville High School
' students. '
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson's family were
among those in the audience, David of
Barrie, Sheila :(Mrs. Paul Davidson) Lindsay
and Roderich, Oshawa.
During. the Andrew Thompson `Recognition Night' there wereseveral presentations,
one by HIS Worship Mayor Garnet Rickard on behalf of the Town of Newcastle.
this
IVYltcheli's Corners School Principal Wally Pitt presented , a framed
School on behalf of the Western area principals.
n'.
sketch of Centrallbll
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