Thompson

MARIETTA, Ohio — Former state representative Andy Thompson, 57, of Marietta, died suddenly from a heart attack following a run Wednesday.

Thompson served in the General Assembly from 2011-18 and as a Marietta city councilman before that.

“I can still picture him running by my office every day back when I had an office there on Putnam Street,” said Bob Kirkbride, whom Thompson called a great mentor throughout his political career.

The death of Thompson follows in quick succession the passing of his mother Elsa, who died in a house fire in May 2019, and his brother Bill, who lost his fight with pancreatic cancer in March 2019.

The Thompsons, including Bill Thompson Sr. who preceded them in death, founded and ran the Marietta-based Bird Watcher’s Digest for two generations.

“Then I got him interested in the NFIB, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and that’s where he started taking an interest in running for public office,” Kirkbride said. “He became the area council chairman here in southeast Ohio and served the small business interests for several years that way. He learned how important groups like the NFIB are in big places like Columbus to represent the interests of small businesses.”

As news of the public figure’s death circulated throughout offices, lawyers including Marietta City Law Director Paul Bertram, Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil and Public Defender Ray Smith mourned Thompson’s passing.

“We were in the same grade growing up all through graduation,” said Bertram. “What a terrible day for that family.”

Coil said she was deeply saddened and Smith recalled the variety of talents Thompson contributed to the area.

“He was a translator for (Marietta) Municipal Court back in the day, that’s how I got to know him,” Smith said. “He spoke way better Spanish than I could with four years of it.”

And in the realm of politics, Mike Webber, chairman of the Washington County Republican Central Committee, said Thompson will be remembered for much more than a party-line way of thinking.

“It’s devastating,” Webber said. “Andy was really one of the two key people who encouraged me with my work in the party. His influence on fellow legislators in Columbus was something to see, his forward-thinking was so far ahead and his wisdom was always something that I cherished.”

Thompson represented much of Eastern Ohio in Columbus and survived a challenge for his seat by then-Belmont County commissioner Ginny Favede, a Democrat.

After retiring from public life, Thompson went on to work again in a consultant capacity with a Washington D.C.-based think tank.

“After 14 years in the political realm, I still want to mentor and foster those ideals and American values,” he said in his last interview with the Marietta Times.

“I only wish he could have had a longer stay to continue that guidance,” Webber said. “Our hearts go out to the family and we’re thinking about Jade, Laura and the rest of the kids.”

Webber said Thompson’s political legacy will be one of thoughtfulness.

“Andy was a man of intellect, not of party,” Webber said. “So what I would hope would come from his legacy is people who are not afraid to say what’s right and true and say what the consequences are not for the party, but for the people.”

Thompson is survived by his wife, Jade, and three children.