Dana Tindal Thompson, 57, died at 12:50 am on Saturday, March 17th, 2018 in Glendale, California. Thompson succumbed peacefully to Sickle Cell Disease after spending four days in hospice care at the Glendale Adventist Medical Center. Thompson expired painlessly in the early hours of one of her favorite holidays, Saint Patrick’s Day, while listening to her extensive music collection and holding hands with her longtime best friend and life partner.
Dana Thompson was born on April 5th, 1960 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Georgianna “Ann” Lenora (Smith) Thompson and Oscar Tindal Thompson. Dana attended both kindergarten (1965-66) and grade school (1966-72) at North Wales Elementary School while her family lived in Philadelphia. She graduated from Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois in 1978, and enrolled in college at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois that same year. While attending NIU, Thompson met her life partner and earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism (1982) and a Master of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism (1985).
As a child, Dana Thompson was a pioneer student in the new Suzuki violin training method for children. She also worked briefly as a print model in Philadelphia during the mid-1960s. In 1971 she was diagnosed as having Sickle Cell Disease. As a teenager, Thompson held several part-time jobs in Highland Park, Illinois where the Thompson family relocated in 1972.
As an adult, Dana Thompson maintained a variety of successful careers while living in Chicago, Illinois during the 1980s and later in Los Angeles, California, where she remained from 1991-2018. Dana was an extremely dedicated, motivated and professional Journalist, Advertising Sales Representative, Graphic Designer, Home Entertainment and Television Producer, Production Consultant, Film Historian, Model, Actor and Comedian.
In her spare time Dana Thompson stayed extremely busy as an artist, designer and craftsman. Thompson was also an activist, public speaker, spokesperson and advocate for people diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease. Dana was well-known for her good looks, husky voice, unique humor, and for being an extremely well-informed, outspoken, compassionate, considerate, fun-loving and benevolent person. Throughout her lifetime Dana supported a variety of nonprofit, charitable and local, regional, statewide, nationwide and worldwide service organizations by selflessly and tirelessly contributing her time, money and creative skills to the following:
The AASCDA (African Americans for Sickle Cell Disease Awareness); AAC (Adopt a Classroom); AARPF (American Association of Retired Persons Foundation); ABC (American Bird Conservancy); ACS (American Cancer Society); ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union); AFI (American Film Institute); AICF (American Indian College Fund); ARC (American Red Cross); ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals); ATASF (American Television Arts and Sciences Foundation); AIUSA (Amnesty International USA); ASO (Autism Speaks Organization); BLM (Black Lives Matter); CSPF (California State Parks Foundation); CCR (Center for Constitutional Rights); CHABAD (Chabad-Lubavitch Organization); CHLA (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles); CRUSA (Comic Relief USA); CLADAS (County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services); DC Entertainment (We Can Be Heroes & MAD Magazine); DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee); DNC (Democratic National Committee); DAV (Disabled American Veterans); DWB (Doctors Without Borders); DLC (Donate Life California); DLCOTDR (Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry); GSUSA (Girl Scouts of the USA); GAMC (Glendale Adventist Medical Center); GLAZA (Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association); GUSA (Greenpeace USA); HBCU (The Historically Black College and University Foundation); HSUS (Humane Society of the United States); LAM (Los Angeles Mission Organization); and the MAWF (Make A Wish Foundation).
As well as the MGTV (The Mousie Garner Television Organization); NAEA (The National Art Education Association); NAEF (The National Art Education Foundation); NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People); NGS (National Geographic Society); NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program); NUL (National Urban League); TNC (The Nature Conservancy); NIUAA (Northern Illinois University Alumni Association); OWCF (Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation); OCRFA (Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance); PAGIA (The Paul Albert Garner Image Archive); PPFA (Planned Parenthood Federation of America); PAF (Project Angel Food Los Angeles); RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities); TSA (The Salvation Army); SHC (Shriners Hospitals for Children); SCAN (Sickle Cell Action Network); SCDAA (Sickle Cell Disease Association of America); SCDFC (Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California); SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center); SJCRH (St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital); SUTC (Stand Up To Cancer); TFT (Toys For Tots Foundation); TCM (Turner Classic Movies); UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Fund); UNICEF K.I.N.D. Fund (Kids In Need of Desks); UNCF (United Negro College Fund); USO (United Service Organizations); VCF (Victim Compensation Fund for 911 First Responders); WVI (World Vision International); and the WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
Dana Thompson was also an avid sports fan. She particularly enjoyed following her favorite college teams, including the football and basketball Huskies of Northern Illinois University. When it came to professional sports teams, she supported the NFL Super Bowl Championship winning Chicago Bears, the NHL Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks, the NBA National Championship winning Chicago Bulls, the MLB World Series Championship winning Chicago White Sox and finally, the MLB World Series Championship winning Chicago Cubs.
Dana Thompson absolutely loved the creative process, especially when it came to the arts, including film, television, poetry, dance and music. Throughout her years in Los Angeles, Dana amassed an extensive movie and music archive, eventually becoming an avid music collector, concentrating on a variety of styles including classical, jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, reggae, new wave, alternative rock, classic rock and world music.
Dana Thompson is survived by her Life Partner Thomas James Forrester of Glendale, California, her Sister Toi Lin (Thompson) Savage of Mundelein, Illinois; her Niece Thais Lin (Coleman) Perez of Streamwood, Illinois; and her Nephew Jason Franklin Coleman of Los Angeles, California.
Dana is preceded in death by her parents, Ann and Oscar Thompson, and her beloved dogs (“dog-son” Oso and “dog-daughter” Daisy).
According to her wishes, Dana Thompson’s ashes will be scattered by friends and family at a variety of her favorite locations across the world.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to any one of Dana’s favorite charity, nonprofit or service organizations previously listed.
