Tribute will be paid to North Wilkes High School graduate Christopher Thompson, who died Oct. 21, 2005, while serving as a Navy medical corpsman, in an event at the school next week.

A groundbreaking ceremony for “Thompson’s Station” (a new concession stand) and “The Chris ‘Doc’ Thompson Wall of Honor” is at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at North Wilkes. It will begin in the North Wilkes cafeteria and conclude at the construction site at Raner Wiles Stadium. The public is invited.

The North Wilkes Athletic Booster Club recently voted to name its new football concession stand “Thompson’s Station” in memory of Christopher Thompson. Also, the “Chris ‘Doc’ Thompson Wall of Honor” will be constructed at the entrance to the football field.

Thompson, a petty officer 3rd class, was mortally wounded when the armored vehicle he was riding in struck an IED (improvised explosive device). He was 25 and had served in the Navy for 4½ years.

Thompson was lead Navy medical corpsman for his company in the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. He joined the Navy when he was 21 and finished basic training three days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Thompson graduated from North Wilkes High School in 1999. While at North Wilkes, he was in the Junior ROTC and was a standout member of the football, baseball and wrestling teams.

After graduation, Thompson served as an assistant coach for the football and wrestling teams at North Wilkes and as a youth league football coach for the elementary school program.

He was the son of Larry and Geraldine Thompson and grew up in the Mulberry community.

“Thompson’s presence at the football concession stand began very early in his young life so it is only fitting that the new facility be named in his honor,” said a North Wilkes spokesman.

The spokesman said Thompson attended his first North Wilkes football game when he was 2 weeks old, sleeping in a bassinet while his father and mother served concessions at the North Wilkes concession stand.

His parents were members of the North Wilkes Booster Club for 30 plus years and worked relentlessly for many years as volunteers in the concession stand, said the spokesman.

“This ‘Thompson’s Station’ is very close to us,” said Larry Thompson. “Chris was born in July of 1980 and approximately two weeks after that, he was in a bassinet in the concession stand. We were heavily involved those years in the Booster Club. At the time, North High had its own three little musketeers, Alyssa Caudle (daughter of Roger and Cindy Caudle), Matthew Vandett (son of Rick and Angela Vandett) and Chris. They were all babies that grew up in and around that concession stand.”

He added, “We have a lot of friends we have made through North Wilkes High and through the Booster Club,” Geraldine Thompson said. “Long-standing friends that we would not have had if it had not been for the Booster Club. We really enjoyed our time working with the Booster Club and we miss it.”

The Chris “Doc” Thompson Wall of Honor will feature the military seals and flags of all the branches of the military along with engraved names of North Wilkes alumni who served or are now serving in the military. One section of the wall will be reserved for North Wilkes alumni only and one section will be designated for any veteran or anyone currently in the military.

“This not only honors Chris but it does honor all of our veterans, men, and women, and our prior and our future soldiers,” said Mrs. Thompson. “I appreciate the fact one side of the wall will be for all veterans. Our family plans on placing, Larry’s (Thompson) name and my daughter-in-law’s name, Melissa (Thompson) on that side and our son David will be on the alumni side. It will be somewhere we can honor all men and women soldiers and not just for Chris and I am pleased about that.”

The Wilkes County Board of Education voted unanimously to fully support and approve the project.

“As vice-chair of the board of education, we are very proud of the project, Thompson’s Station and the Chris ‘Doc” Thompson Wall of Honor, said board member Karen Reeves. “This is a shining example of a project where a school, county and community are coming together as one to honor and remember not only one of their own, but, to also honor and remember any veteran or current member of the military forces.”

Mrs. Reeves added, “On behalf of the board of education, we thank everyone who has worked, is working and will work on this effort. When this project completes, the county will have a memorial and wall of honor that will continually remind us of the importance of what the military forces do for this country all day, every day.

She said Thompson’s Station and the Chris “Doc” Thompson Wall of Honor would provide an opportunity for students and adults to reflect upon what freedom can ultimately cost.”

The North Wilkes spokesman said there has been an outpouring of support for the project through pledges of donated building materials and money from individuals and businesses.

North Wilkes Principal John Parsons said he was very appreciative of the support and enthusiasm shown thus far.

“The Thompson project is going great,” Parsons said. “We have complete support for the project. The community has been outstanding in their support of this project and it would not be possible without their support. I also want to thank the board of education for their support. It is great to have new facilities but it means so much more to the school and community when we can honor one of our own by dedicating the building of the new facility in their honor.”

Parsons added, “Chris Thompson was a beloved member of the North High community and he is a hero to all of us. I hope the Chris Thompson Memorial will be an inspiration to our past, present and future students.”

Larry Thompson served in the Army during the Vietnam War in 1967-68. The Thompsons have two other sons, David Thompson, also a Navy corpsman assigned to the Marines, and Jimmy Epley.

“The Thompson family would like to thank everyone involved, the community, the (North Wilkes) Booster Club, the school, the students and everyone for doing this great honor for Chris,” said Larry Thompson.

“We hope the community will be involved in this and that they will appreciate it because it is not only for Chris, but it is for all veterans. Hopefully they will be able to participate in it,” he said.

“As it has been written several times, Chris was a loving son, he was a brother, a student, an athlete, a friend, a sailor, a ‘Doc’ to his Marines, and above all, he was an American that gave his life for his country and his fellow man. We appreciate everything and we hope that people will see the Wall of Honor and the concession stand and remember our fallen soldiers and all of our soldiers.”

In addition to Karen Reeves and John Parsons, committee members for the project include Darren Shumate, North Wilkes Athletic Booster Club representative; North Wilkes Athletic Director Tommy Johnson; and Tathel Miller, community representative.

Dedicated to the Memory of Petty Officer Third Class Chris “Doc” Thompson