Neal Thompson, age 74, of Norton, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on Friday, February 27, 2026 at the Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. He was the beloved husband of Carol S. (Hurwitch) Thompson, to whom he was wed on August 29, 1976.
Born in Melrose, MA on January 26, 1952, he was a loving son of the late Joseph C., Jr. and Alma L. (MacKenzie) Thompson.
Neal grew up in Boston and was a 1970 graduate of Boston English High School. He continued his studies, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Boston College in 1974. Prior to retiring, Mr. Thompson worked for the Brockton Enterprise, a career that spanned over forty years, beginning as a newspaper reporter and retiring with the position of newspaper editor.
A resident of Norton for the past forty years, Neal especially loved spending time with his adoring family and dog Lily. An avid reader and self-published author, he had a special love and talent for building and flying model airplanes and was a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Neal was also a passionate and faithful New England sports fan.
In addition to his beloved wife, he is survived by his devoted children, Michael E. Thompson and his wife Cheryl of Orlando, Florida and Jennifer E. Shaw and her husband Brendon of Somerset. He was the cherished grandfather of Tyler Thompson, Calla Thompson and Madison Shaw. He is also survived by his loving sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and extended family.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours on Wednesday, March 4th from 5:00-8:00 P.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 North Main Street, Mansfield.
A service in celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Neal’s memory may be made to BONES (Beagles of New England States) P.O. Box 1510, New Boston, NH 03070 https://www.bonesbeagles.org/
To send his family a message of condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com