Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Tyler attended Madison Simis Elementary and Madison Meadows Middle Schools. He graduated from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, where he played on the tennis team, contributed to many of the school’s drama productions, and received national recognition for his artwork. He majored in political science at Reed, where he was a contributing author to a corporate law treatise and authored a thesis titled “No Bold, No Foul: An Analysis of Naming and Shaming and Detainee Abuse Prevention in the Iraq War, 2003–2008,” advised by Prof. Darius Rejali [political science 1989–2020]. Tyler’s thesis was later noted at an international symposium at Harvard University and included in the political science curriculum at Reed.
Tyler earned his master brewers certificate from UC Davis, which he pursued to further his career as a brewer following years of working as a craft brewer in Portland. During his time in Portland, he provided brewing system consulting services in Germany, Mexico, and Guatemala, and shared in awards for collaborative and innovative brews, including a gold medal in the experimental beer category at the Oregon Beer Awards for an Earl Grey barleywine named London Fog.
Tyler was an avid brewmaster with a love for the art of craft brewing and spent many years studying the science and art of fermentation. He was fond of sharing his passion for brewing. He also relished the outdoors and liked hiking with his friends and brother. He loved video gaming and was skilled at Minecraft, designing several worlds for friends and strangers alike. He enjoyed board and tabletop games, excelled in the kitchen, and in general knew how to make people smile and the world a better place to be. He was awarded his MBA from Arizona State University in May.
Tyler is survived by his parents, Terence and Caryn Thompson, sister, Coree Neumeyer, and brother, Christopher Thompson.