Fred Thompson, 73, died on November 1, 2015 after a recurrence of lymphoma, according to a statement issued by the Thompson family.
“It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family. Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life. Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home. Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people. He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life.”
The Alabaman-turned-Tennessee-resident served the state of Tennessee for eight years as a conservative Republican in the U.S. Senate and had a short run in the 2008 presidential race to the White House. He was the Senate Watergate Committee’s chief minority counsel in 1973 and 1974. In 1975 he wrote a Watergate memoir entitled At That Point in Time. An actor with a booming voice, he was a longtime “Law and Order” star (as actor Arthur Branch) with roles in 18 feature films including In the Line of Fire, No Way Out, Cape Fear, The Hunt for Red October and Days of Thunder.
He leaves to cherish his memory his current Jeri Kehn, with whom he has two young children and his first wife Sarah Lindsey with whom he had three children: Fred “Tony” Thompson Jr., Daniel and Elizabeth. Elizabeth died in 2002.
