Thomas C. Tompkins

Thomas C. Tompkins passed away peacefully on June I3, 2018, with the love of his life, Patty, at his side. He was born in Detroit, MI, on June 19, 1936 to parents Marjorie and Leonard Tompkins. When Tom was Just 2 weeks old, he became one of the nation's youngest airplane passengers when his parents took him on a flight.

His father was a dough boy in WWI and was gassed in the trenches in France. He died from his wounds when Tom was 10 years old so Tom was then raised by a single mother. At that time, his mother went back to school and became a nurse anesthetist which was quite a rare profession for a woman in those days.

Tom proudly served in the military, three years army enlisted and 21 years Air Force, he retired as a major. He obtained 6 awards for meritorious service, headed by the bronze star. He worked in OSI and the highlight of his Air Force career was in the early 1970s in Bangkok when he assisted in the apprehension and arrest of an Air Force enlisted man who was a Russian spy. Tom retired from the Air Force and worked as a stock broker for a regional firm in Murray, KY. He also worked as a bank trust officer.

Married twice before, he hit the jackpot when he married his third wife, the "brat," Patty. Tom was an active golfer for over 50 years. He was also an accomplished needle pointer and voracious reader, especially about WWII. He loved to travel and he and Patty went on many Viking River Cruises together. Tom and Patty also loved entertaining and had many wonderful dinner parties. Tom celebrated his 80th birthday by tandem skydiving at 13,500 feet.

For the past three years he volunteered at CHI Harrison Cancer Center in Poulsbo when he-wasn't being treated as a patient. He was very proud of his volunteer work and teased the nurses mercilessly, claiming the R.N. on their badges stood for Registered Nuisance. And he told the patients he was wiping off all the "nurse germs." Tom always had a joke to share and remained positive and upbeat even after being diagnosed with stage 3A lung cancer in 2015.

Tom is survived by his wife, Patty, her daughters, Megan and Mallory Mihara; daughter Kelly Trumble (Matt) and grandson Benjamin; son Ross Tompkins(Liz) and granddaughter Amber Martin (Nick); step-daughter Karen McClelland (Dave) and grandson Lewis.

A Memorial Service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church 8595 NE Day Road Bainbridge Island, WA on July 15, 2018 at 2:00 pm with military honors presented. Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home.