PORTLAND, Maine — A well-known and beloved Portland physician whose wife was longtime president of the Maine Broadcasting System died Wednesday surrounded by family members.
Dr. Philip Pickering Thompson Jr. was 102 years old.
The Thompson family patriarch was a doctor in Maine's most populous city for 54 years. As a general practitioner, he specialized in arthritis and rheumatism.
Mary Rines Thompson, Philip Thompson's wife, was president of the Maine Broadcasting System for 13 years, from 1970-1983, which at the time owned WCSH-TV in Portland and WLBZ-TV in Bangor. Those stations, since re-branded as NEWS CENTER Maine, were later sold to Gannett.
Rines Thompson died in 1992 at age 73. She was the daughter of Henry Rines, who founded Maine Broadcasting in 1925 and established WCSH, the first radio station in southern Maine. Rines Thompson inherited the role of president and chairwoman after the death of her brother, William.
Philip and Mary's son Frederic took over the role of president after his mother's departure in 1983, and would hold the role until 1998. Frederic during that time oversaw operations at both WCSH-TV and WLBZ-TV.
Nathaniel, or Nat, worked in production at WCSH-TV before ascending to his current role as president of MBS subsidiary Maine Radio and Television.
Philip Thompson leaves six children — William, Frederic, Audrey, Julie, Benjamin and Nathaniel — 17 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren.