Memorial services for Billy Kent Thompson will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 13, 2022, at First United Methodist Church, Ada.

Kent was born on March 25, 1958, to Billy Hugh Thompson and Barbara Wigley Thompson. He passed away on July 29, 2022, in Fittstown, OK, at the age of 64 years. He was the eldest of six children in a blended family.

Kent spent his younger years growing up in the Fittstown area, attending McLish Schools through the 6th grade. Although he graduated from Ada High School, his Oiler family and the Fittstown community were always close to his heart, and he was so happy to be able to move back home in retirement.

Kent became an Ada Cougar in 7th grade and created so many cherished friendships throughout his junior high and high school years. He loved Ada Cougar football, jamming with his friends (Kent could play any instrument he chose and never had a lesson), camping and target shooting at the ranch (I guess you could call it that…), and oh how he loved his cars and trucks! He was on cloud nine one Christmas when his parents gave him the car of his dreams, a 1967 Chevelle. Kent couldn't take his eyes off that car…unfortunately neither could the Ada PD. After way too many speeding tickets, he was forced to sell his beloved Chevelle. It was a short lived but cherished relationship.

Kent's collection of guns, both new and antique, was unrivaled. He was a proud lifetime member of the NRA. Kent didn't just have a love of guns, he had a respect for guns and always preached gun safety first.

Perhaps the Ada Cougar legacy Kent was most well known for was the creation of the KMA pep club. Though eventually outlawed by school officials, it is still loved today and known across the state as the battle cry of the Ada Cougars (especially when playing McAlester)!  Little did anyone know that the superintendent's wife and daughters were assisting by baking the screened shirts in the family oven. Of course his mom's excuse for her contributions to the pep club was that Kent had convinced her that KMA stood for "Kentucky Military Academy". Many loyal Cougar fans still cherish the KMA t-shirts to this day.

Kent joined Boy Scouts of America at a young age while at McLish School. He continued through his junior high and high school years at Ada, culminating in earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.w

After high school, Kent was so proud to finally become an Oklahoma State Cowboy. Kent came from a long line of Cowboys, and his love for OSU was fierce. Oh, the stories that came from his first go around at OSU… Way too many to share all of them, but one was priceless and actually made the OSU yearbook that year. The football team was on the road to Nebraska, and Kent and a few of his friends made the spur of the moment decision to make the road trip and go to the game. He used a gas credit card for not only gas but the hotel room as well, and made an OSU flag from a floor mat and a shower rod. They proudly waved that flag in the crowd on game day, and low and behold, a yearbook photographer chose them to represent the loyal Cowboy supporters in the stadium! It was a trip he talked about for years.

Kent loved college life so much, he had a hard time remembering that classes were a part of that life, so it took him two tries to finally get serious about a college degree and career path. Kent was a history buff from a very young age and made the decision to become a history teacher. Once committed to that decision, he flew through his college classes making the Dean's Honor Roll every semester and earned his Bachelor's Degree in 1986. Kent proudly became a life member of the OSU alumni association and always supported his Cowboys.

Kent was an accomplished writer and artist particularly in the medium of charcoal and pencil sketches. His popular political cartoons were regularly featured in the Oklahoma State University newspaper, The O'Colly. Kent was also hired by local businesses to create business logos on murals and signs.  If you travel through Fittstown, you can still see his artwork featured on the Dunn's Fish Farm sign.

Kent spent his teaching career at Little Axe High School, where he became not only a favorite teacher, but mentor, father figure and Coach to so many students. He brought history to life for his students through reenactments and dress up days. Kent coached football and wrestling for many years, and after losing a bet, even coached the cheerleaders one year. To the team's surprise, Kent took the challenge seriously, and man did those girls become a great Cheer Squad!

Kent's love of history from an early age prompted his continual research into the Civil War. He was a proud lifetime member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which led him to create a Civil War re-enactment group, complete with authentic homemade costumes and period appropriate weapons. This group participated in the re-enactment of the Battle Of Honey Springs, as well as performed for many public schools. He also loved and spent many hours researching his family lineage on both sides. Kent loved this country deeply and was not shy of voicing his concerns about the state of our Nation today, as evidenced by his many incarcerations in Facebook jail.

His brilliant writing and knowledge of history led him to co-create, alongside other family members, Sigma Educational Media. The company provided Oklahoma history curriculum to schools across the state. These videos can be found today through the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library.

Kent was at Little Axe long enough to teach and coach at least two generations of families, and to the day he died, he remained close to so many of these families.

Kent was the life of the party, bigger than life, but at the same time the most humble of men. While he never married or had kids of his own, he truly raised and loved too many to count. He loved his nieces and nephews like they were his own, and Uncle Kent was the love of their lives. He saved every card from his nieces and nephews including one from Katy which summed it up perfectly, "I always thought it was a shame that you never got to be a father because you'd have made a great one. You have always been one of the only people to 'get me.' I want you to know how much it has always meant to me. I thank God that you're my uncle. I love you. Katy."

Family was everything to Kent, and his physical challenges never slowed him down when it came to helping his parents run the ranch, or with anything any family member needed. Kent was family to so many, related or not. We will greatly miss him, his sharp wit, and sense of humor. His absence will be felt by many, but we are so thankful for the years we had with him and will cherish wonderful memories of Billy Kent Thompson for the rest of our lives.

Kent was preceded in death by father, Bill Thompson; step-father, Max Skelton; grandparents,  W.C. and Lucille Wigley, Rae and Clara Thompson and step-grandmother, Marcella Thompson; Uncle Butch Wigley, Uncle Fred Thompson, Aunt Betty Rae Thompson Rogers Duty, Aunt Patsy Thompson Stone; and nephew, Tyler Skelton.

He is survived by his mother Barbara Ann Skelton; siblings, Steve Skelton (Leslie) of Rolla, MO, Lori Skelton Vaughn of Rolla, MO, Lauri Thompson Ketchum (Roger) of Durant, OK, Kelly Thompson Caudle of Ada, OK, and Julie Skelton Pfeifer (Mark) of Rolla, MO; nieces and nephews Lauren Postlethwaite (Kevin), Matthew Skelton, Katy Bright (Kevin), Caleb Caudle (Paige), Ty Ketchum (Hillary), Mason Vaughn (Nicole), Kelsey Staples (Nick), Nick Pfeifer, Max Pfeifer, and Erin Pfeifer; plus many great-nieces and nephews.

The family gives special thanks to Larry Colbert and Dean Johnson.  Kent was always planning ahead when it came to the operation of the ranch, but his limited mobility prohibited him from completing many of the physical tasks necessary for implementing those plans. Larry and Dean were always ready and willing to do the physical work that Kent was unable to do.