WarriorMagazineJanuary2021

Hal and Emily Thompson serve healthcare needs of local community

E ast Central

dating until our sophomore year. One of my roommates was dating one of his suitemates and they reintroduced us. We dated all through college and got married after I graduated pharmacy school.” Emily is a pharmacist at Wheeler Drug Store, which is owned and operated by her parents, Charles, also a pharmacist, and Debbie Boggan. Hal owns and operates Thompson Physical Therapy. Both businesses are located on the courthouse square in Decatur. The Thompsons also have four sons who Emily says “keep them busy with all the sports and activities they can squeeze into a day.” Tyson is 11 years old and a sixth grader at Newton County Middle School. Hollis is eight years old and a third grader and Fletcher is six years old and a first grader and both attend Newton County Elementary School. Their youngest, Callen, just turned three.

Growing up around her father’s pharmacy and working there beginning at a young age, Emily had originally thought she wanted to take a different professional route. But it was at East Central that her career path became clear. “I had originally thought I wanted to steer clear of pharmacy, but once I started college all the roads I took kept leading me down that path. I really feel like it was God leading me in that direction and I’m so glad I listened,” she said. Emily said during her freshman year at East Central she took a rather large course load that included a lot of basic classes but had no real goal in mind as far as her major of study. But there was one class in particular that would have a major impact on her life. “I had Dr. Betty Sue Hennington for Biology I and she really opened my eyes to my love and interest of science.

Community College graduates Hal and

Emily Thompson met as young co-eds in 1999 when he was a member of the Warrior baseball team and she a member of the Centralettes danceline. Both sought careers in the healthcare industry and after completing their education and marrying, they have returned to Emily’s hometown of Decatur where they are raising their family and serving the community’s healthcare needs. “Hal and I met at East Central, so it has always been a special place to us,” Emily said. “I’m pretty sure we officially met in the cafeteria our freshman year but we didn’t start

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