A Gentleman’s Gentleman Passes from the Club

Clare Thompson Elaine Thompson Gentleman's Gentleman Obituary Past District Governor

Arthur Clare Thompson
May 4, 1931 – Mar 12, 2021

"Enjoy Rotary and have fun helping others."

Clare Thompson, The Rotary Club of Dryden’s longest-serving member has left us just 7 short weeks after his wife, Elaine passed away.
 
Both Clare and Elaine had just recently been granted a “Lifetime Membership”, the first such awards in the Club’s long history.
 
Clare, like his father before him was an active member in the Dryden Rotary club. He served as president in 1984-85 and District 5550 Governor, in 1996-97. This involved much travel including visiting nearly 50 clubs in Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
 
Clare, to this day, remains the only District Governor the club has produced. As one Past District Governor wrote when hearing of his death. Clare was a “Gentleman’s Gentleman” a phrase which succinctly describes his quiet way of getting things done and serving others before himself…in other words living Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self”.
 

Clare

from

the

Archives

March 05, 1983
September 26, 1987
March 26, 1986
March 26, 1986
March 26, 1986
 
He was involved in the student exchange program and remained in touch with many of the students throughout time. He was presented with numerous Paul Harris awards, the most recent in 2020. During the past ten years, he became famous among club members for making, at his own expense, a mini-directory for each Rotarian to carry with them.  
 

Clare in Action

Clair Thompson in Action
Clair and Elaine Thompson in Action
Clair Thompson in Action
 
Clare loved to write, and the last time I visited him was working on a history of people in Dryden. In 2012, he published a small booklet “70 years of Rotary in Dryden 1942 – 2012"
 
Clare concludes his booklet with these words:
 
My intention on doing this, is to record some of our past history, and to make it as readable as possible.
 
We must be doing something right, as we are still here and growing after seventy years. Enjoy Rotary and have fun helping others.”
 
Thanks, Clare and Elaine, you were mentors to every current member and many who have just passed through the club. Your gentle reminder to “have fun helping others” was what you both always exhibited by your presence in our midst; we will miss you both.