DALLAS (AP) - John Philp Thompson, who transformed a family business into the nationwide 7-Eleven chain, died of brain cancer early Tuesday. He was 77.

Thompson held top positions in the Southland Corp., now 7-Eleven Inc. for more than 30 years after being named president and chief executive officer at age 35.

Thompson was a philanthropist and community leader who made Southland the largest contributor to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising $81.5 million.

The Highland Park native was a prominent member of the community, but never unapproachable.

"He was always easy to be with, and there wasn't an uppity bone in him," A. DeLoach Martin Jr., a former neighbor and lifetime friend of Thompson, said in a story in Wednesday's editions of The Dallas Morning News.

"He was a true leader and a true gentleman," said Clark Matthews II, Southland's former chief executive officer. "Everybody felt so comfortable talking about anything with him."

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Thompson was dedicated to the University of Texas System and its Austin campus, serving as chairman of the chancellor's council and on the executive committee of the Centennial Commission.

"John Thompson provided wise counsel for many university presidents and chancellors throughout the University of Texas System," said William Cunningham, former president of UT-Austin and former chancellor of the UT System.

Thompson's civic positions included chairman of the board of trustees of Presbyterian Healthcare System; chairman of the board of the State Fair of Texas; president of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association; chairman of the Dallas County Community College District Foundation; and chairman of the Texas Turnpike Authority.

He served on the State Fair's board of directors for 40 years and a building was named in his honor, the first time the fair had bestowed such an honor on an individual.

Thompson's father, Joe C. Thompson, began the company and built it into about 400 stores by the 1950s. After college and service in the U.S. Navy, Thompson joined the company.

He was named president and CEO in 1961 and remained in that position until 1986. He became chairman of the board in 1969 and held that post until 1991, when he became co-vice chairman until he retired in 1996.

Thompson was at the helm of the company during its worldwide expansion and best economic times.

But he was also in charge in 1990 when the company was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to protect the company from creditors. The company was saved by a pair of related Japanese companies in 1991. They took financial control of Southland, gained dominance of the board and ousted Thompson as chairman.

Although those close to Thompson knew he was upset about the change, "you never heard him complain during that entire period. All he did was exude love and respect for people in the company," Matthews said.

A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home. Memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Christ the King Catholic Church.

Thompson is survived by his wife, Debra Rutherford Thompson; daughters Mary Ann Frenk and Peggy Wolf; sons Doug Thompson and John Thompson Jr.; eight grandchildren and two brothers.