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Community remembers longtime Amenia firefighter Phil Thompson

Community remembers  longtime Amenia firefighter Phil Thompson
Pictured here with one of his daughters, Samantha Culligan, longtime Amenia Fire Company member Phil Thompson spent every day with his loved ones prior to his passing on Monday, Nov. 23, at the age of 71. Photo submitted

AMENIA — Having dedicated his life in service to his community, the void left in the wake of longtime Amenia Fire Company member Phil Thompson’s passing was felt not only by his loved ones and fellow firefighters, but also by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Thompson passed away at home at the age of 71 on Monday, Nov. 23, following his battle with metastatic lung cancer.

Reminiscing about the life he built in the town of Amenia, Thompson attended the former Amenia Elementary School and graduated from Webutuck High School in 1967. That same year, he joined the Amenia Fire Company alongside his father, Paul, and brother, Don. Following his graduation from Potsdam State University in 1972, Thompson channeled his degree in education to teaching math, dedicating many years of teaching at Dover Junior/Senior High School.

Genuine in his desire to help others, Thompson wore many hats in his 53 years with the Amenia Fire Company, assuming the responsibilities of firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT) and fire prevention officer as well as treasurer, parade chairman and company historian. Recalling the company’s recognition of Thompson’s contributions and 50 years of service just a few years ago, Fire Chief Aaron Howard Jr. spoke just as highly of Thompson’s dedication as a senior EMT, fire prevention and fire safety officer as he did about Thompson’s work in planning and coordinating numerous parades and carnivals in Amenia throughout the decades.

“He was definitely a huge asset over the years,” Howard Jr. said. “He carried many different titles and positions; he did a tremendous amount of work. He will be greatly missed.”

Reaching beyond the town of Amenia, Thompson’s compassion could be seen in his choice of becoming a 911 dispatcher for the Dutchess County Bureau of Emergency Services, where he worked from 1985 until his retirement in 2011. He also offered his services as an EMT with the Amenia Rescue Squad (he was captain from 1996 to 2011), and was actively involved with Northern Dutchess Paramedics (NDP) from 1998 up to his recent passing. Even on his days off, his daughter Samantha Culligan, who lives in Amenia, said her father would keep his pager right next to him, ready to respond to any EMS call no matter the time of day.

“I felt like he cared more about others than he did about himself,” Culligan said.

Christine Thompson, Phil’s wife of 15 years, recalled a moment from the days when her future husband was courting her, when he reached out to help a woman who was struggling.

“He was a helper — he wanted to help people who needed any kind of assistance,” she said. “He didn’t like to see people struggling.”

Thompson was honored for his service as a dispatcher in 2009, when he was presented with the New York State Communications Specialist of the Year Award, the highest award a dispatcher can earn in New York State.

Hoping the community will remember how caring and compassionate her father was even after he is gone, Culligan said, “I hope that pushes some of the younger members of the community who knew him to be like him and want to serve the community in fire and EMS or other volunteering that could be done.”

When asked what she hopes her children will remember about their grandfather, Culligan said, “Just how much he loved them and that he would take the shirt off his back for them.”

Christine said that Phil loved his family, and his grandchildren, deeply.

“When he was first diagnosed, I think one of the first things he said to me was, ‘I’m not going to watch them grow up,’ and it broke his heart,” she said.

Remembering their final days, Christine said the family spent every day together, making sure they were present to show their love for each other. Thinking of the number of well-wishers who reached out to her family following her husband’s passing, she said, “I hope he knew how much he was loved.”

In special honor of Thompson, Amenia officials posthumously declared him the town’s 2020 Citizen of the Year during its annual tree lighting ceremony on Saturday evening, Dec. 5.

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