Richard S. Thompson

Richard S. Thompson (December 30, 1916 - December 28, 1997) was from 1972 to 1984 a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 22,that voted how his district desired rather than party lines, which now includes Grant, La Salle, Winn, and Rapides parishes.

Thompson was first person to hold the District 22 seat, created with the 1971-1972 election cycle following redistricting based on the 1970 census. The previous configuration had included Grant Parish in a multi-member district with four representtives. Thompson served under the first two administrations of Governor Edwin Washington Edwards and Edwards's first successor, Republican David C. Treen. Along with his service in the Legislature, Thompson also served on the Constitutional Convention for the Louisiana Constitution that is still in place as of 2012.

In the 1975 nonpartisan blanket primary, the first held in Louisiana history with the abolition of the closed primary system, Thompson defeated a challenge from former State Senator W. L. Rambo of Georgetown, also in Grant Parish. Rambo had also held the Grant Parish House seat from 1952 to 1960.

Thompson, a cotton, soybean, cattle, hay, and pecan farmer, resided in Colfax, the seat of Grant Parish. He died two days before his 81st birthday. Thompson and his surviving wife, Lucille, have two daughters,Barbara Brown and her husband Daniel Brown of Colfax, Louisiana and Ellen T. Anderson and her husband, Paul J. Anderson, Sr., of Baton Rouge. Thompson and his wife were blessed with 9 grandchildren. The grandchildren include Markay Brown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kayla Glascock of Bossier City, Louisiana, and Gay Lynn Brown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Deborah A. Moody, of Wichita Falls, Texas, Chad Anderson of Baton Rouge, Alicia Anderson, of Denham Springs, and Richard Anderson of New York. Two of Thompson's grandchildren are deceased. He was preceded in death by grandson, "Andy" Paul Anderson, Jr., and followed in death by granddaughter Emmie Gayle Anderson Wisniewski in 2008, along with her unborn son, Weston Joseph Wisniewski, Thompson's great-grandson. Thompson's wife, Lucille is able to enjoy their great-grandchildren immensely. Those great grandchildren include, Callan Glascock, Kenna Glascock, and Carson Glascock of Bossier City, Louisiana, and Daniel Brown and Maria Brown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Christopher, Keaton, and Katelynn Moody of Witchita Falls, Texas, and Austin Anderson of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He is remembered through the Richard S. Thompson Memorial Scholarship given to a Christian student from Grant Parish studying at Louisiana State University at Alexandria. Thompson was also memorialized in death by the naming of the Richard S. Thompson bridge that connects Rapides Parish and Grant Parish. The bridge was appropriated during Thompson's tenure in the legislature and was a great encomplishment and advancement for the area.

The District 22 seat is now held by Terry Brown, who is Dan and Barbara's (Thompson's daughter) nephew.