John M. Thompson honored at Good Scout dinner

About 110 people turned out Thursday evening to pay tribute to John M. Thompson, the honoree at this year’s Dr. James A. Kinder Good Scout Community Dinner.

The event also raised more than $53,000 to help support local Scouting activities.

In addition to his role as president and director at The Bank of Missouri, Thompson serves on the board of SoutheastHEALTH, the Boy Scouts of America Greater St. Louis Area Council and other local organizations.

“I’ve served with John on the board of Southeast, and he truly has a servant’s heart,” said Frank Kinder, president of Red Letter Communications, who emceed the event and helped organize it along with several others.

Thompson, 63, began his Scouting career as a Cub Scout and earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1968, later being given the Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service to youth in 2012.

He is a native of Jackson and was recognized at the dinner for being tireless in his longtime support of the city in which he and his siblings grew up.

As the evening wound down, Thompson offered a parting quote from Abraham Lincoln: “In the end, it’s not the years of your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”