Isabel Thompson was born in Berry, Kentucky June 8, 1914.  She graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1936 and received her B.E.  in education and botany and her A.M. in botany and geology from U.C also.  In 1942 she earned her Ph. D. in botany from Ohio State University and began her career at Western Maryland College as an instructor in biology.  She rose to the position of assistant professor of biology in 1944 and associate professor in 1947.  She was promoted to full professor in 1959.  She retired from Western Maryland College as emeritus in 1979.

Isabel Thompson Isanogle Royer was married twice.  She married Alvey Isanogle in 1944.  He died in 1953.  In 1962 she married Edgar Royer who died in 1985.  Isabel died in 1990.