About the Thompsons

Established in 2013, the Legacy Society was established after Raymond and Beulah Thompson wrote Heartland into their estate, giving the largest individual contribution in the College's history with their $1.5 million donation. 

The Thompsons married in 1945 and lived on the west side of Bloomington on a farmstead established in the early 1900s. Their home was the same house in which Raymond was born and raised.

Raymond earned his bachelor’s degree in education at Illinois State Normal University and taught vocational agriculture in Wapella. He later worked as a fieldman for the Washburn Canning Company and in the propane division of Amoco Oil. In his spare time, he tended their 80-acre farm. Beulah also tended the farm and was a licensed beautician.

The Thompsons, who spent their 67 years of marriage in the Bloomington-Normal community, named Heartland in their estate shortly after the College opened. The donation is valued at $1.5 million and will be used to support student scholarships.

Family member Brenda Thompson emphasized that the Thompsons, particularly Raymond, knew the importance of furthering one’s education beyond high school. “He always wanted to know more and learn,” she said. “That’s just who he was.”

On November 18, 2013, in honor of the Thompson’s donation, the Heartland Foundation established the Raymond and Beulah Thompson Legacy Society. The society gives individuals the opportunity to plan a donation to the College and indicate where they would like the funds spent. It comes with four options that include bequests, life insurance, real estate and retirement plan assets. Nine individuals are currently part of the Raymond and Beulah Legacy Society.

“Ray and Beulah were among the first individuals to name the HCC Foundation in their estate plans,” said Downing. “By establishing scholarships for students facing financial challenges, they set a tone of generosity that will touch students’ lives for generations to come.”