Wayne J. “Sonny” Thompson, 22, of RR 2, Rushville, was killed instantly about 1 p.m. Monday in a two car accident near Green Valley.
The Tazewell County sheriff’s office said Thompson’s car collided with a car driven by Harold Griffin of Green Valley at a four-way intersection about two miles south of Green Valley.
There were no witnesses to the accident, the sheriff’s office said, but it appeared that the two cars met head-on in the center of the intersection. Thompson’s body was thrown from his car and was found lying about 42 feet from where the cars came together. Both cars were demolished.
Griffin was taken to a Hopedale hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released.
Thompson, who resided on a farm belonging to his grandfather Walter Thompson in Woodstock Township, Schuyler County, drove daily to his work with a road construction company. The company is engaged at the present time on a project on Route 29 near Green Valley.
Thompson was the fourth members of his family to die in an auto accident. In 1939 his father, Wayne, a sister and an uncle, Stanley Thompson, were killed when their car was struck by a train at Chatham, IlL., south of Springfield.
Funeral services for Mr. Thompson will be held at 11:30 a. m. Thursday in the Astoria Christian church, with Rev. Forrest Wise and Rev. Ronald Bula officiating. Burial will be in the Astoria Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria after noon Wednesday.
Mr. Thompson was born May 5, 1938 in Rushville to Wayne and Ina Mae Beck Thompson. He moved to Astoria at an early age and resided there until recently when he moved to his grandfather’s farm. July 7, 1957, he married Harriett Brillhart, who survives.
Also surviving are a daughter Tammy, 2; his mother, Mrs. Ina Mae Reynolds of Astoria; his paternal grandparents of Rushville; the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Beck Sr. of Astoria.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus