Fred Mitchell Thompson

Fred Mitchell “Tiny” Thompson, born on October 17, 1941, to Paul and Martha Cody Thompson, passed away on June 10, 2026, at Erlanger East Hospital.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Martha Thompson; wife, Ita Maria Thompson; son, Michael Thompson; sister, Joann Thompson; brother, Paul Thompson; great-granddaughter, Alexis Sander; and sister-in-law, Neula Vanderplaus (Will) of the Netherlands.

He is survived by his daughters Cynthia (Mark) Witt and Mitzi (Henry) Sanders, daughter-in-law, Amy Thompson; grandchildren, Christopher Witt, Whitney Gray, Amber Thompson, Mitchell Sanders, Ian Thompson, Abby Thompson, and Anna Thompson; great-grandchildren, Colton Wallace, Bryce Stevens, Jacson Witt, Amelia Gray; his dear friends, Walter “Showboat” and Angie Moore and Billy Mathis; and a host of extended family members and beloved friends.

Mr. Thompson proudly served his country in the United States Navy where he worked as a Gunman on the USS Diamondhead. Fred met his wife of 44 years, Ita, while stationed in Italy. Following his service, he moved to Chattanooga and began starting his family. He was a truck driver and diesel mechanic for Eck Miller. When he retired from trucking, he went to work for the Hamilton County Highway Department. He sailed around the world, visited all 50 states and Canada, he never met a stranger, and he had a lot of great friends. He was of the Christian faith.

If you could pick a genre of music, tine/a/mite would be outlaw country. He loved fiercely, played hard, and was respected by everyone who knew him. Bill Owens, his pastor, had the privilege to baptize him again. If Fred were here today, he would say, “People, I’ve had a good time.”

A Graveside Service will be held at Chattanooga National Cemetery located at 1200 Bailey Ave in Chattanooga on Friday, July 31, 2026, at 2:30PM with full military honors. A Celebration of Life Memorial Gathering will immediately follow at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Life Center, located at 501 S Moore Rd in Chattanooga, from 3:30PM until 6:00PM.