From the bonds of friendship comes unshakable compassion, which was proven last week in the wake of tragedy.
Bishop England graduates from the class of 1970 learned that Myra Thompson, the wife of their classmate, was a victim in the shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church.
She was the wife of their classmate Reverend Anthony B. Thompson, of Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church at 51 Bull St.
Myra was a teachers’ aide, longtime teacher and guidance staff member whose decades of service included working at James Simmons Elementary, Burke High School, Rivers Middle School, Brentwood Middle School and Midland Park Elementary.
Tommy McQueeney, Teasie Witte and a handful of others wanted to honor their friend and his beloved wife.
“Once the names were released on Thursday, I was mortified to learn that Myra Thompson, Tony’s wife, was one of the victims,” McQueeney said. “I had met Myra through Tony. In fact, I featured Tony and his mission in my book, ‘The Rise of Charleston (2011).’”
Naturally McQueeney called Tony on Friday morning to offer his condolences: “It was such a difficult and tearful conversation. Being familiar with his church, I asked him for permission to memorialize Myra by naming the church garden in her honor – and further asked if we, his classmates, could come the next morning and work on it.”
This gesture was received with great thankfulness, for this garden in disrepair was the very spot their grandchildren came to play on Sunday mornings after his service.
Eight classmates went to work on Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. and worked in the blazing sun until just after 3 p.m. The heat index reached triple digits, but it didn’t deter these 60-somethings from pressing on.
Before McQueeney knew it, neighbors joined in to help.
“Nearly complete, another neighbor came by in a golf cart and found what we were doing. He left and came back with a check for $1,000 to give to Tony’s church for other needs,” he said. “It was truly a special day with profound meaning to all of us. This tragedy impacted us all.
“With determination, we turned inspiration into perspiration for beautification.”
Today “Myra’s Garden” blooms with beauty.
Rev. Thompson took over the church in 2011. He had served at a much larger church and Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church was a stark difference with only nine families in attendance.
“He took this on as a challenge,” said McQueeney.
McQueeney and Thompson reconnected soon after and a tour of the church proved the facility itself also needed a lot of work.
McQueeney set out to lend a hand and in the process met Myra. “She was vibrant and very spiritual and she too had done a lot of work in the church trying to rebuild it,” said McQueeney.
McQueeney worked alongside the Thompsons and parishioners to address the garden and create a walking path to turn it into a nice, spiritual place that would complement the church.
“The parishioners seemed to love it and Tony brought in the bishop of Reformed Episcopal Church to dedicate the garden for the church,” McQueeney said.
Naturally McQueeney was sickened and in shock when he heard the news of the shootings.
But even more so when he realized one of the victims was someone he knew – Myra.
“I was just beside myself. I did not know what to do,” he said.
When McQueeney called Thompson, he explained that he wanted to do something that might be meaningful and with his permission, they set about restoring the garden.
“It has been an emotional ride for all of us. I think the step-back look is that this tragedy happened to these families foremost, but it happened to all of us in some way. The fact that I have classmates that care enough to come do something positive speaks a lot to their character and also tells lot about their respect for Rev. Tony Thompson, our classmate and great friend,” said McQueeney.
Richard Crites of McCarthy’s Monument Company donated the stone placed in the garden that says “Myra’s Garden.”
Kim Hairfield, Kenny Johnson, Teasie Witte, Marcell Shachte, Debra Nelson, Jean Shorter, Tina Patarcki and McQueeney were the volunteers.
Church neighbors Jerry and Kim Williams have been watering the new plants.
“We are a community that cares and to not acknowledge that we have people we care a lot about and do something to help is not something we’re able to do in Charleston,” McQueeney said. “We can’t walk by this. We stop and reflect and come together as a community and somehow get through this together.”
Myra Thompson was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and pastor. Her grandchildren will especially love visiting Myra’s Garden after services on Sunday where their grandfather Reverend Tony Thompson will be preaching.