Thelma Gunn Thompson, a Meridian native who built a multi-million dollar publishing and commercial printing business, is being remembered for her success and for her generosity in giving people opportunities.

Thompson died Oct. 20 at Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. She was 96.

Born in Meridian, Thompson, in 1962, co-founded The Southern Horseman magazine, a monthly magazine that celebrated the love of horses. The magazine was dedicated to showmen, breeders and their horses and went on to become the second largest Quarter Horse publication in the United States with readers in all 50 states and 13 foreign countries.

The success of The Southern Horseman led to the creation of Southern Publishing Company, which printed other horse-related publications and commercial printing projects. For years, the business printed the programs for the Dixie National Rodeo and was chosen to print the famed 1984 New Orleans World’s Fair poster.

“About six months after moving to Meridian I was thrilled to discover Southern Publishing. With a publishing background, I knew that was where I wanted to work even though I didn’t know a thing about horses,” said Donna Owen, owner and president of Brainstorm Creative Group. “She believed in giving people opportunities.

“I simply would not be where I am without Ms. T giving me opportunities,” she said.

The Southern Horseman was instrumental in growing the horse industry in the South, and as it became famous Thompson, who was also raising five children, became well known and respected throughout the industry.

“The Southern Horseman was the premiere magazine in the horse industry, and anybody in the industry knew who Ms. T was. She was very well respected,” said Pete Willis, who worked for the publishing company for 15 years. “She worked at regional and national shows throughout the year, and if you went to a show, there was always a lot of people surrounding her, just wanting to be around her.”

“She was smart to build a magazine that appealed to all breeds of horses and disciplines from novices to elite professionals,” said Owen, who worked for The Southern Horseman from 1977 until 1982. “She was sincerely concerned with the success of the industry, her advertisers and readers and it showed. She knew their success was critical to the magazine’s success. That was one of the most valuable lessons I learned from her. She lived it.”

Owen said the magazine was a turn-key operation as the staff handled all phases of news, editorial, advertising sales, pre-press production, printing and circulation.

“When it came to the monthly mailout — it was all hands ‘on deck’ as we literally put the magazine together, ran the addressographs, and hauled it to the post office. She worked right alongside all of us,” Owen said. “At one time or another I guess she did everything there except run the press. And, who knows, she may have done that.”

Kim Gianakos, former editor of The Southern Horseman from 1982 until 1986, agreed Thompson was behind the magazine’s success.

“Thelma Thompson channeled her impressive energy into making her magazine, The Southern Horseman, successful. She was an inspiration to those who worked with her,” Gianakos said.

As sole publisher of The Southern Horseman, Thompson earned a Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Mississippi Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame.

“Southern Publishing was basically like a family,” Willis said. “Ms. T did her best to make sure her family was taken care of and everybody around her was taken care of including all of us in her extended family.”

The Southern Horseman ceased publication in 2007. According to her obituary, Thompson had a strong will and unstoppable work ethic. She was an accomplished gardener and an avid card player, enjoying family night rummy games to eventually advancing to bridge.

A celebration service honoring her life was held Thursday at Prospect Presbyterian Church.