Mabel Thompson

Westernport, MD

Mabel Lyons Thompson, 97, Westernport, Maryland died at her home on December 14th, 2015.  Mabel was born April 5th, 1918 in Piedmont, West Virginia, the daughter of the late Walter Thomas and Mabel (Davis) Lyons of Piedmont, West Virginia.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, William M. Thompson of Keyser, West Virginia.

Mabel graduated from Piedmont High School, Class of 1935, and later graduated from Potomac State College (1937) and Western Maryland College (McDaniel University), 1939, followed by graduate studies at Shepherd College and West Virginia University. In 1931, Mabel became one of the first “Ladies of the Golden Horseshoe” for her outstanding knowledge of West Virginia Culture and History.   Although she missed the knighting ceremony due to an emergency appendectomy, she was finally officially “knighted” by then Governor Joe Manchin in 2009.

Mabel taught Home Economics in both Mineral and Allegany Counties and was a Home Service Adviser for Potomac Light and Power Company at the Keyser office.  She was instrumental in starting the first kindergarten in the Tri-Towns in 1961, along with Joy Luke and Lurlene McCain.

After joining at age 11, Mabel was a lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Piedmont, West Virginia.  She was a member of Bethlehem Chapter 14 Order of the Eastern Star for over 60 years and was a past Worthy Matron.  Mabel was a member of the Wesleyan Service Guild, the Aurora Derham Bible Class, a life member of the Garrett County Historical Society, and was one of the earliest residents of the Green Glade Club, Deep Creek Lake.

In addition to her family and many good friends, Mabel enjoyed music, travel and quilting.

Mabel began studying the piano at an early age and became church organist at age 13.  Over the years, she accompanied many soloists and quartets, even serving as accompanist in church as recently as 2013 at age 95.  As a young girl, Mabel dreamed of traveling the world and was fortunate enough to realize those dreams throughout her life by visiting such places as Stonehenge, the pyramids, the Holy Lands, and Wales, the land of her ancestors.  A dedicated quilter for over fifty years, Mabel completed over sixty quilts.

Mabel was an avid lover of the natural world and enjoyed learning about her surroundings at her house in Kure Beach, NC as well as her cottage on Deep Creek Lake.  She especially loved beachcombing and identifying wildflowers.

Mabel is survived by her beloved daughter, Sara Thompson Gibbs and her husband Tommy Wooten Gibbs, her step granddaughter, Heather Gibbs Dougherty, and cousins Joanne McCoy and Tim McCoy.

Friends and family will be received at the Boal Funeral Home in Westernport, MD on Friday, December 18th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

A funeral service will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church in Piedmont, WV on Saturday, December 19th at 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be at Philos Cemetery in Westernport.

In lieu of flowers, monetary contributions in memory of Mabel Thompson can be made to

Trinity United Methodist Church, 34 Jones Street, Piedmont, WV  26750.