Roy and Nola spent millions wanting to help, now their community mourns

Sunshine Coast philanthropists Roy and Nola Thompson remembered In short Philanthropists Roy Thompson OAM, 95, and wife Nola Thompson are being remembered for their generosity. The pair died in recent weeks after decades of donations and support for community organisations What's next Tributes continue to flow for the pair whose donations made such an enormous impact. Mr Thompson's funeral will be held next week in Maroochydore. A Sunshine Coast couple who helped transform the region through their generosity has died, as the coastal city honours the couple's incredible legacy. Roy Francis Thompson OAM died at 95 on August 7, shortly after the death of his beloved wife Nola, after almost 70 years of marriage. The Thompsons helped fund a range of the Sunshine Coast's most critical services, including co-founding a rescue helicopter service that became the region's LifeFlight, the Thompson Institute brain and neuroscience centre, and the Wishlist building. A suite of bursaries and scholarships to the University of the Sunshine Coast will help fund students until at least 2075. Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said she had known the couple "for many years", and admired their "extraordinary generosity and their deep love for this region". "The Sunshine Coast is stronger and better because of them," she said on social media. "Their generosity changed lives, strengthened institutions and helped shape the region we know today." Thompson Institute founding director Jim Lagopoulos said he had known Roy and Nola for the past 10 years, after moving to the Sunshine Coast to establish the neuroscience centre that bore their name. "They had such tremendous vision for what we wanted to achieve for mental health here on the Sunshine Coast,"Dr Lagopoulos said. "They had a very deep passion for their community and, in particular, the more disadvantaged people within the community, wanting to make sure that there were the available services so that people who couldn't afford services could gain access to them. "They were tremendous people, incredible philanthropists and very, very kind and special people. "We're going to miss them very much." Dr Lagopoulos is now involved with Thompson Brain and Mind Healthcare, also funded by the Thompson family. He said in the past 18 months alone, the group had seen more than 4,000 people and provided care more than 7,000 times. Dr Lagopoulos said many of those would otherwise have never received treatment on the coast. "We removed that barrier of money to come into the service and receive treatment," he said. Dr Lagopoulos said the pair were "tremendous philanthropists". "And very few people appreciate the amount of philanthropy and the help that they gave to their community,"he said. Mr Thompson died on August 7, following the recent death of his beloved wife Nola, after almost 70 years of marriage. He is being remembered as a "dearly loved father, father-in-law, Pop, Great Pop, brother, uncle, friend and business associate". A private funeral service has been held for Mrs Thompson. Mr Thompson's funeral will be held in Maroochydore on August 27.