HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S. C. — Donald Merrell Thompson,

of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, died June 5, 2021, of complications of Parkinson’s.

He was a retired Intelligence Officer and Analyst in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.

In his earlier years he was a Vietnam Navy veteran, worked on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico and was active in the Masons. He was a graduate of the University of Arkansas and held a Ph.D. from Indiana State University. Later he became a professor at Stetson University, in Deland, Fla. He taught Geology and Geomorphology. Merrell loved to be outdoors and had a large vegetable garden every year. He showed his ‘64 Chevy classic car at car shows. He enjoyed following politics and traveling overseas.

Survivors include his partner of many years, Janet Jenkins of Hilton Head, S.C.; his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Phil Mohr of Brevard, N.C.; his granddaughter, Alexis Mohr of Brevard, N.C.; his son, Jason Thompson of Concord, N.C.; his grandson, Evan Thompson of Concord, N.C., a sister, Ruth Reed of Siloam Springs, Ark.; brothers, Jerry Thompson (Wanda) of Siloam Springs, Ark., Jack Thompson (Joyce) of Fayetteville, Ark., and TD Thompson of Bella Vista, Ark.

A memorial service will be held Sept. 19, 2021, at 2 p.m., at Weddington Mission Baptist Church Cemetry, 19445 Weddington Church Road, Fayetteville, Ark.

Memorial donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, at Box 4777, NY, N.Y., 10163.