The history of Thompson Funeral Home dates back to 1928 when J.R. "Buddy" Thompson started the business with the simple idea of providing unparalleled personal service to the families of Cayce, West Columbia, and Columbia. In return, through the years the people of this area have been very faithful to Thompson Funeral Home.
As with most depression-era businesses, "Buddy" Thompson was assisted throughout the years by his parents, his wife Bleeka; his sisters, Minnie Price, Inez Sox, and Thelma Morrison; his brothers, Clifford Thompson and E.L. "Tootsie" Thompson; as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Thompson Funeral Home has also been fortunate over the years to have many excellent, loyal associates from within the community.
In 1935, "Buddy" Thompson completed the first building in this area that was built strictly for the use as a funeral home. That building still is operational today at 200 State Street in West Columbia. In 1999, Thompson Funeral Home opened its second location (our "Lexington" chapel) at 4720 Augusta Road (Hwy #1) in Lexington to better serve all the families of Lexington County.
In 2013, Greenlawn Memorial Park and Thompson Funeral Homes merged to create Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park. This allows families in Richland County and downtown Columbia the opportunity to experience the Thompson Funeral Home difference.
Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park offers all-encompassing services to provide the Columbia community additional value and benefits. Services include funeral services, on-site crematory and memorialization options. Additionally, it employs a diverse staff, all with deep roots in the community, representing the entire Columbia area.
Our professional staff has well over 100 years of combined experience in caring for families in our community. We pledge to provide excellent service for those families that we are privileged to serve.
Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park
Greenlawn Memorial Park has been providing for the needs of families since 1937. We are proud of the reputation we have established during almost 75 years of service to our community.
From the beginning, Greenlawn has endeavored to provide only the finest in service and facilities for families in their time of need. An early Greenlawn brochure stated, “We envision a future of continuous growth, increasing beauty and loveliness. Our past, successful as it has been, is only our ‘prologue’.”
The first thing you will notice upon entering the grounds at Greenlawn is the natural beauty of dogwoods and crepe myrtle as well as centuries old live oaks and other mature trees of various species. The pond at the center of the memorial park serves as a focal point for our annual interdenominational Easter Sunrise Service which has been a Greenlawn tradition for over 50 years.
For those families who prefer other than in-ground interment, our Mausoleum provides the ultimate in above-ground entombment. Constructed of the finest domestic and imported marble, the Mausoleum was the first in the Columbia area and is still unmatched in its richness of detail and striking beauty. The Mausoleum Chapel, constructed as a wing of the mausoleum itself, is available for services in conjunction with funerals at Greenlawn. Niches for cremation urns are an integral part of the mausoleum, an excellent choice for a permanent memorialization.
A key element in our success in providing unsurpassed service through the years has been our ability to make arrangements for many families before the time of need. Consider for a moment the emotional stress of losing a loved one. It is precisely for this reason that approximately ninety percent of funerals at Greenlawn during recent years have been arranged for prior to the death of the family member. Our staff stands ready to assist at any time, but we strongly recommend that arrangements be made in advance for the sake of your family and your own peace of mind.
In May of 1998, our services expanded to include a conveniently located, modern funeral home facility. Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park Funeral Home serves families all over the Midlands. Our funeral home is conveniently located adjacent to Greenlawn Memorial Park on Leesburg Road and also convenient to Fort Jackson, just one exit north on Interstate 77. Our funeral home offers a variety of funeral options, including both traditional options as well as cremation. It is our desire to make every funeral or memorial service a personal time of remembrance to capture, share and preserve your special memories of life.
At Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, we are proud of our pioneering efforts in making special packages available for veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States. Special discounts for veterans are just one of the ways we recognize the contributions of those who have served our country. Considerable savings can also be realized for non-veterans as well for arrangements made prior to the time of need.
