Barbara McNeil-Thompson Does All the Good She Can, in All the Ways She Can

    LOS ANGELES, CA, December 18, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ --- "I retired from nursing and I was approached on numerous occasions about considering becoming a funeral director. I just looked at [those] people very strangely, and I said, 'funeral director?! No!" However, Ms. McNeil-Thompson changed her mind, and is presently a director of the Angelus Funeral Home. When she sat down with Cambridge Who's Who for an exclusive interview, she retraced the moment her point of view shifted, "it was a natural progression from nursing...it's basically all the same the way I see it." Whether Ms. McNeil-Thompson was assisting sick patients in the hospital, or supporting families who had just lost a loved one, she was employing her innate tendency to care for others in whatever capacity she could.

Ms. McNeil-Thompson described her relationship with her great aunt to be the inspiration that sparked her interest in nursing. She said, "[For] as long as I can remember, she seemed to have always had a need for someone to care for her." Ms. McNeil-Thompson fed, bathed, combed her hair and prepared her for bed for many years before she passed away. The tremendous satisfaction she received from seeing that her aunt was comfortable was something she wanted to achieve from helping others as well. She completed coursework in medical records science, became a registered nurse, and earned a certification in medical issues and response. Her nursing career spanned more than 40 years, and provided her with a cornucopia of achievements, including a commendation of dedication award, outstanding leader in the community award, and a presidential award from the Psychiatric Health Practitioners of Los Angeles. For Ms. McNeil-Thompson, though, the most gratifying aspect of her career was not in the material awards she received. She says, "the most rewarding part [was] the connection between myself as a nurse and [of the individuality of each patient] as being the patient...[they] showed their appreciation for the things that [I did] to take care of them, and I think that...works from both sides, the nurses side as well as the patients' side."

When she established herself as a funeral director, Ms. McNeil-Thompson infused John Wesley's philosophy, which she had carried throughout each facet of her career. He advises to "do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." Along with presiding over funeral services, Ms. McNeil-Thompson showcased her ability to counsel anguished families. By approaching the grieving process with extreme patience, she massaged the excruciating experience of losing a loved one into a progression of understanding and coping. The validation Ms. McNeil-Thompson received from helping these families is yet another reflection of her intrinsic compassion.

Ms. McNeil-Thompson's selflessness has been translated to community efforts as well. She described the Los Angeles riots of 1992 to be "very scary," saying that "people were running through the streets of Los Angeles with guns, shooting." Despite her fears, which were harmonious among everyone with whom she worked that day, she employed bravery by helping to assuage the riot. She stated, "It was a big job, but I believe we all stuck together as employees." She highlighted the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department recognition of her efforts with a certificate of appreciation to be a commemorative moment in her career. Henceforth, she has lent her support to endeavors with her local church, local homeless population charities, the California Police Youth charities, the California Fighters Charitable Foundation, Mayo Clinic, and the United Negro College Fund, Inc.

Ms. McNeil-Thompson has wholeheartedly exhibited a steady temperament throughout her life in her personal experiences, professional career, voluntary ventures, and organization affiliations. She is recognized as a past president of the Community Neighborhood Watch, a member of the California Funeral Directors Association, a former president of the local African American association, and a mental health counselor of the Sheriff's Jail Unit in Los Angeles. Consumed with nostalgia and grandeur appreciation of her life, Ms. McNeil-Thompson commented, "As I look over my life and as I've gone through this procedure, I have determined that [by following John Wesley's philosophy] I've done so many things over the years, and I like that."

To contact Ms. McNeil-Thompson, please visit http://www.barabaramcneilthompson.com, or write her at P.O. Box 432108, Los Angeles, CA 90043.

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