A Gift Beyond a Lifetime: Jeff and Beverly Thompson's Commitment to Caring for Rural Georgia

Athens, Ga - Jeff Thompson learned many life lessons from his father, Dr. Robert “Bob” Thompson, but the most enduring was the importance of giving back to one’s community.

Dr. Bob and his wife, Mary Sue, demonstrated this belief throughout Jeff’s entire life – including supporting causes that increased access to healthcare in rural areas. Their philanthropic legacy continues today through the Robert E. and Mary Sue Thompson Memorial Endowed Fund at Tulane University School of Medicine, which provides scholarships to aspiring family medicine physicians seeking to practice in rural communities.

“For my parents, it was never just about giving. It was about ensuring that every person can receive necessary medical care,” said Jeff.

That belief shaped Jeff in profound ways.

After a successful career as a Human Resources executive, he entered retirement ready to give back in his own way. He joined the St. Mary’s Foundation Board, where he and his wife, Beverly, deepened their connection to the mission of advancing healthcare across Northeast Georgia - specifically in rural communities like Franklin County.

They quickly saw how critical that mission is.

In rural areas, access to healthcare can mean the difference between early diagnosis and delayed treatment, between convenience and hardship, and between uncertainty and peace of mind. Jeff witnessed firsthand the vital role St. Mary’s Health Care System plays in ensuring that patients don’t have to travel far from home to receive high-quality, compassionate care.

As both a board member and a patient, the experience became deeply personal.

Jeff saw the compassion in the nurses, the dedication of the physicians, and the quiet, steady support of staff and volunteers who make healing possible every day. He and Beverly experienced that care themselves, and it left a lasting impression.

“When Beverly and I discussed our estate plans,” Jeff shared, “we naturally wanted to include Sacred Heart Hospital. I want others in our community to feel the same level of care and kindness we’ve experienced.”

Through a planned gift, Jeff and Beverly continue a family tradition of generosity - one that extends beyond this lifetime. Their decision ensures that St. Mary’s Health Care System can continue investing in rural health care, expanding services, and reaching patients who need care close to home.

Planned gifts like theirs are already making a difference. These gifts help fund essential resources for rural communities - from expanding access to primary and specialty care, to supporting new technologies like telehealth, to strengthening the workforce that serves these areas. They allow health systems to plan thoughtfully and respond to the unique challenges rural patients face every day.

For patients across Northeast Georgia, that impact is tangible.

“It means shorter travel times for essential care. It means earlier detection of serious conditions. It means neighbors caring for neighbors, supported by a health system that understands and invests in the community it serves,” states Jennifer Messer, St. Mary’s Health Care System’s Chief Development Officer.

Jeff and Beverly’s story is one of gratitude, compassion, and intention. Inspired by the legacy of Jeff’s parents, they are helping ensure that rural families across Northeast Georgia will continue to receive the care they deserve.

Because of their planned gift, the future of rural health care is stronger, and the Thompson family’s legacy of giving lives on in every life touched.