The Rev. Thomas Joe Compton, 69, of Pana, formerly of Lakewood and Assumption, died Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at 6:40 a.m. at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Howe and Yockey Funeral Home in Shelbyville.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held in Glenwood Cemetery in Shelbyville.
The Rev. Compton was born Dec. 9, 1948, in Decatur, the son of Frank Ainsworth and Juanita Juvae (Sain) Compton. He married Christine Schouten in Shelbyville on Aug. 7, 1971, and she survives in Pana.
He graduated from Shelbyville High School with the class of 1967. He went on to earn degrees from Western Illinois University and Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville.
His first, full-time ministry charge was at the United Methodist Church in White Hall, followed by two churches in Jacksonville, Ebenezer and Wesley Chapel. While in Jacksonville, the couple also worked with deaf ministry.
In the 1990s, the Comptons served at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church before his final charge in Assumption and Findlay in 2001.
The Rev. Compton retired in 2013, after more than 30 years of service. He was a member of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan and enjoyed gardening, spending time with his family, and collecting nativity scenes and Campbell's Soup memorabilia.
Besides his wife, he is survived by sons, Kurt (Tiffney) Compton of Witt and Karl (Carly) Compton of Findlay; daughter, Kendra (Chris) Finley of Ramsey; parents, Frank and Juanita Compton of Lakewood; brothers, David (June) Compton of Tower Hill, and Charles "Chuck" (Kathy) Compton and Steve (Carol) Compton, all of Shelbyville; eight grandchildren, Vanessa Compton, Sierra Compton, Alexa Compton, Wyatt Daniels, Lilly Compton, Melody Finley, Gabriel Finley and Thomas Finley.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Clyde and Clara Compton; and his maternal grandparents, Firth and Susan Sain.
Memorials may be made to the Preachers Aid Society or the American Heart Association.
Online condolences may be left at www.howeandyockey.com.
