Gwendolyn (Lewis) Thompson

Gwendolyn “Gwen” Lewis was born on September 22, 1959, to the late Joseph Lewis and the late Marjorie McKinney Lewis. Raised by her paternal grandmother, Mamie Smith Lewis, in Selma, AL, Gwen was a graduate of Selma High School. Known for her friendly and bubbly personality, Gwen’s fondest memory of high school was being selected as the “Coca-Cola Girl.”

Upon matriculation from high school, Gwen attended Selma University, where she received her Associate’s degree before earning a band scholarship to Alabama State University, where she majored in Criminal Justice. Gwen worked in law enforcement for several years before pivoting to education. She would go on to marry a Navy serviceman and relocate to St. Mary’s, GA, where she lived a full life consisting of two beautiful children and a teaching career that spanned nearly 15 years. A firm believer in education, she applied and was accepted into a competitive Accelerated Master of Education program at Cambridge College in Boston, MA. A health crisis prevented her from completing the program, but she viewed the pursuit of her master’s degree as her crowning achievement.

However, for those who knew her, Gwen’s true crowning achievement was her ability to simply be herself and allow others to do the same. She somehow managed to be completely nosey without being a busybody, to be a good listener without passing judgment, and to have the mouth of a sailor while still bringing a room to laughter. She was gregarious, with a warm spirit and infectious smile; but most of all, Gwen was a giver. She loved people and believed in helping others. In the end, we are all just grateful that she was here.

Gwen leaves to cherish her memory her sons, Daniel Thompson and David Thompson, Jr.; her brother and sister, Neal Lewis and Jovella Brown; her aunts and uncle, Rosie Lewis Brown, Marie Ellis, Tawana Lowe, and Fain “Champ” McKinney; the father of her children, David Thompson, Sr.; and a host of cousins and friends. Gwen was preceded in death by her beloved grandmother, Mamie Smith Lewis; her parents, Joseph “Bay Boy” Lewis and Marjorie McKinney Lewis; her cherished cousin, Rev. Lee A. Lawson; her brother and sister, Sean Lewis and Cynthia Miller; her aunts and uncles, Alberta “Bert” Lewis Dingle, Sarah “Ma Dear” Lewis Lawson, Artelia “Tee” Lewis McKinney High, Betty Eggelston, Albert Lewis, Leporter “Big Boy” Lewis, Otis “Hun” Lewis, and Melvin McKinney.

 Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. at Freedom Baptist Church. Interment will immediately follow at Everdale Baptist Churchyard Cemetery. Ms. Thompson will lie in state one hour prior to the funeral service. The professional staff and management at Ashley's J.H. Williams & Sons Funeral Home extend our deepest condolences, thoughts, and prayers to the entire Lewis-Thompson families. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gwendolyn (Lewis) Thompson, please visit our floral store.