Eleanor Scott Thompson

Eleanor Scott Thompson joined our heavenly Father on May 8, 2017.

She was 98 years old. Ms. Thompson was born in Petersburg, VA in 1918 and raised in New York City. Upon completion of high school, she attended New York University and worked in the Secret and Confidential Unit of the U.S. War Department. She later relocated to Saratoga Springs, New York, where she met and married Alfred F. Thompson and lived there for over 27 years with her husband until his passing and their two children.

In 1963 Eleanor Thompson pursued her long-term career with New York State Office for People with Disabilities (OPD); formally known as Office of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). During her 25-year tenure at Wilton Developmental Center, she held a number of positions including Therapy Aid, Program Specialist, Volunteer Program Supervisor and Senior Citizens Program Instructor. Other lifetime achievements included a Bachelors of Arts Degree from College of Saint Rose; Associate Degree from Schenectady County Community College (SCCC); Dean's List at SCCC 1971; Statewide Delegate for Affirmative Action Human Relations 1972 to 1982; Keynote Speaker of the Convocation Address at Schenectady County Community College 1980. Author of a published book "The Little Angel Who Would Not Obey" – Exposition Press 1979.

Eleanor relocated to the Albany area around 1985 and became a long-term member of Metropolitan NTM Baptist Church. She had several hobbies; however, volunteering, traveling, gardening, and poetry writing were at the top of her list. Eleanor had always been active in local community service politically and socially; but had also participated in many community service activities outside of the country – including the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) workshop in South Africa; the Black Social Workers of Albany workshop in Haiti, West Indies; and the Venceremos Brigade Educational Commission in Cuba, South America along with extensive travels around the world.

Locally, she served on the Albany County Police Review Board 2000-2004, the Whitney M. Young Jr. Board of Directors, the Malta Ridge Cemetery Association as a Trustee, and volunteered as an Ambassador at the Albany International Airport. She contributed years of volunteer work with various organizations, and received the NYS Volunteer of the Year Award from Governor Cuomo in 1979 and was the 2007 recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award from Capital District City Mission of Albany.

Eleanor is survived by her two daughters, Alicia Thompson Yancey and Marlena Thompson Alford, her son-in-law Jack Alford Jr., grandchildren Lealyn Williams and Elena Thompson, four great grandchildren; cousins Vicki Jones Whitties and children, Culbert Jones and children and Albert Jones III; extended family members Gail Young, Arleen Johnson, Christie Johnson Lynch and their children and several adopted daughters including Gwen Love, Heidi White, Dora Stanley, Tawanna Ramdene, Sharon Davis, Doris Allen and Dorothy Ginter; and a host of other friends. May she rest in peace.

A time for friends and family to share condolences will be held on Friday, May 19, 2017 from 10-11am at Metropolitan New Testament Baptist Church, 105 Second St., Albany, NY 12210. A Home Going service for Eleanor will begin at 11am. Burial will be held at Malta Ridge Cemetery, Malta, NY.


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