Lillian Taylor Thompson, unexpectedly passed away on July 12, 2026. She recently suffered a severe ankle injury and passed away from a pulmonary embolism, a rare and unforeseen complication of her injury. She was home with her family and passed with both parents by her side.

Lilly was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend. From the moment she was born Lilly was an outgoing energetic child. Always aiming for the spotlight and creating fun where ever she could. She loved party nights with her family, family dinners and just being with her people. She always loved to laugh and entertain people, never being afraid to share her love.

Even as a preschooler, Lilly amazed everyone with her insight and deep thoughts. She spoke with a depth far beyond her years. Always sharing her wisdom with her parents who often repeated to friends and coworkers with pride. She had a remarkable ability to understand herself and others with clarity, humor, and honesty.

As a young child Lilly fell in love with dinosaurs and DK dictionary books, never passing up a new one and she loved carrying them around with her favorite stuffed dog, Poochie. She often took things apart, not to break them, but to turn them into something new. Boxes, small household items, or bits and pieces she would find around the house often got turned into trains, monsters and wild creations. She could entertain herself for hours either being deep in concentration or off on a wild prehistoric adventure in her room with her toys. She was endlessly clever, endlessly busy, often surprising, and occasionally mischievous.

As Lilly grew through her teen years, she became even more amazing. For those of us lucky to have known and loved her, she would have walked through fire to support her family and friends or stand up for something she believed in. Lilly loved fiercely with her whole heart and nothing less.

Lilly’s confidence was a defining part of her charm. Some might say she was full of herself, but that could not be farther from the truth, she knew she had flaws, she simply chose to focus on loving and accepting herself over anything else. Did she know she was beautiful, yes. Did she know she was smart, yes. Did she have high standards, absolutely! But that is what her family taught her. She simply understood the assignment. She knew she was beautifully imperfect and that life was too short to be hard on herself over trivial things. She chose happiness over judgment, lifting herself and others up over putting people down. She did this with her humor, honesty, and deep sense of love.

Her bond with her sisters was one of the great joys of her life. Lilly and Grace were inseparable, playing, arguing, dancing, wrestling, playing in kiddie pools that were much to small, and always together. Even though as sisters they argued, they always found their way back to one another. She was always sneaking into Grace’s bed late at night even after a moody day and using her love and humor, she made everything right. Grace taught Lilly how to be humble and grounded with her love and friendship, Lilly showed Grace how to embrace whimsy and life. Together they were unstoppable.

When her little sister Lucy was born, Lilly fell naturally into her role as helper, playmate, and protector. She knew how to create fun but was always focused on keeping her little sister safe. When Lucy was little, Lilly spent hours entertaining Lucy with toys, stories and shenanigans. As Lucy grew older Lilly introduced her to Minecraft and YouTube. They loved watching ASMR cooking shows and Minecraft game play videos by Forge Labs. She truly adored being a big sister.

Years later, when Allie was born, Lilly blossomed into someone who clearly had the heart of a mother. She could get Allie to sleep in seconds, held her every chance she got, and adored her with a tenderness that moved everyone who saw it. Through her love for Allie, it was easy to imagine the incredible mother that she would have become. Lilly was a wonderful sister to Allie. Always reading, snuggling and helping navigate the world around her. Always there to help with every level of her life.

Lilly had a wonderful relationship with both her parents Marc and May Thompson. She adored her dad. He could do no wrong in her eyes. They shared a love for older music, road trips, trivia and playful bantering. With her mom she shared a love for movies, makeup, people and family. Lilly really admired how hard her mom worked at parenting and often brought her flowers just because she could. She was very close with both her parents and shared many qualities of both.

Lilly had a constant companion in her beloved dog, Frankie. They loved each other with an extraordinary devotion. Wherever she was, he was. Side by side they lounged soaking up all the affection and attention they could give each other. She once said he would be the perfect person. Always listening to her with no judgement or comment, always ready to snuggle and loyal to a fault. She beamed with pride whenever she spoke about her dog and his fat personality. Frankie meant the world to her.

Lilly had a part-time job at Bright speed Ice Park where she worked skate rental and front desk for 4 years. She spoke fondly about bosses, co-workers and members that she encountered. She loved telling us about her day, not to gossip but she just wanted to share her life with us.

Lilly met her best friend Avery Dorweiler at the Ice Park. From the very beginning they had a special bond. There could be no truer pair then the two of them. They had a deep impact on each other and planned on being friends for life.

Lilly had several special childhood friends; Kali Tucker, Haley Dalton and Blaise Vaughan. Although life took them in different directions, they meant the world to her growing up. Kali, Haley and Blaise gave Lilly love and friendship that she still spoke of fondly.

Lilly always said her goal in life was becoming a pampered wife and mother, often stating she was inspired by the loving relationship between her parents. Lilly also always noted a maid, and a chauffeur would be employed so that she didn’t have to clean or drive. Her Aunt Cathie helped her to see that she could enjoy other passions in the meantime and turn that into a career while she made her long-term goals happen.

Lilly chose to attend Ozark Technical Community College. While there she found friends, mentors, and moments of validation that meant everything to her. She saw a whole new world opening up for her. On May 14^th, 2026, Lilly graduated Ozark Technical Community College with an AAS in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Some people can’t wait to grow up, move out and get new lives, but Lilly loved being home. She loved being surrounded by her parents and siblings. She loved the noise and chaos that her big loving family made.  She always said she already had everything she needed and was in no rush.  She enjoyed being surrounded by familiar laughter, comfort, and the love of her family. She never felt the need to rush into a life that took her away from that. As her father often said, Lilly simply felt no need to go anywhere, she was already right where she wanted to be. She was not waiting for a future to be happy, she already was.

Lilly was a storm of creativity, humor, and love. She was beautiful, brainy and clever. Lilly was exceptionally determined, and unwavering in her decisions and beliefs. She was a wise child, a lively teenager, and a wonderful adult. She loved her parents, sisters, family and friends with a depth and passion that was absolute. She moved through life with her heart wide open and left a mark on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Lilly will be profoundly missed and deeply loved. She will always be our little tornado.

Lilly loved dressing up like every day was a tea party, and to honor her vibrant spirit, we invite you to join us in celebrating her life by wearing pretty or floral attire. While certainly not required, we would love to see the room filled with the brightness she brought to all of our lives.