She taught various classes and led clubs for 20 years at a Bartow County middle school and wanted all of her students to succeed.
Now, those students and colleagues are mourning the loss of a teacher who was loved throughout the Cass Middle School community. Laura Virginia “Ginger” Thompson was killed in a crash early Thursday. She was 56.
“She was fiercely loyal to her school and students,” CMS Principal Kristy Arnold said in a post on the Bartow school system’s Facebook page. “She wanted to see them be successful. Cass Middle School won’t be the same without her.”
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Thompson was driving west on Ga. 140 in Adairsville around 7 a.m. when a concrete mixer truck turned in front of her GMC Yukon. The front of Thompson’s Yukon struck the side of the truck.
Thompson died in the crash. The driver of the truck, Jerry Potts, 39, of Fairmount, was not injured. The investigation into the crash continued late Thursday, the State Patrol said.
Thompson was a business and computer science teacher at Cass Middle and sponsored the 4-H club. She previously taught careers and connections classes and social studies, according to the school system.
Thompson will be remembered for her love of the Georgia Bulldogs, along with her school spirit for Cass.
“Mrs. Thompson was loved by all,” Sydney Hughes, a Cass teacher, said in the Bartow school post. “She never had a negative thing to say about anyone and loved Cass Middle. If she wasn’t wearing blue and gold, she was wearing red and black for Georgia, her favorite college team. We will miss her!"
Grief counselors were speaking to Thompson’s students Friday.
