“Ancient Mariner”. Passed peacefully away, surrounded by family on January 2, 2013, Donald Patrick Tompkins, approaching his 97th year. Donald was a resident of the Veteran’s Unit at Corner Brook Long Term Care Facility and a former resident of Codroy Valley and Stephenville. He was predeceased by his wife Stella Geraldine (nee Doyle). Left to mourn are his sister Emma Beaton; sisters-in-law: Rita Tompkins and Freida Bungay; children: Graham (Pauline), Joseph (Nancy), Beth (Bernie), Michael (Sue), Blanche (Michael), Raymond (Mary), Don Jr., and John (Lori); 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. In 1940, Donald graduated from Agricultural College, Truro, Nova Scotia. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Following military service overseas, he returned to be the Agricultural Representative on the West Coast of Newfoundland. He spent several years working for the US Government at the Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville and finished off his working career with the Town of Stephenville. Donald was a very strong community-minded individual, always interested in keeping people working, developing and expanding community projects. His involvements included: Founding Director of Indian Head Co-Op; Board of Directors for Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital; Captain of Air Cadets; Town Councilor and Deputy Mayor of Stephenville. He was always interested in the land and its preservation. He was involved in silverculture in the Codroy Valley and stocking Mine Pond with rainbow trout. He took great pleasure in seeing families from the Stephenville area fishing out of the pond that he helped create. Donald was instrumental in assisting with the acquisition of the Dialysis Unit at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital and took great pleasure in knowing patients would be receiving vital and much-appreciated care. He was well known to the legal community as he was always available to the RCMP and court system as a Justice of the Peace. Residents of Colonial Avenue were used to seeing an RCMP vehicle in his driveway. Donald was a master storyteller and always laughed along with the listener at his own stories. Deeply rooted in family, he was always interested in the education and accomplishments of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Self-described as the “Jack Benny of Stephenville”, he was in fact, generous to a fault. Resting at Russell’s Funeral Home, Stephenville. Visitation to take place on Sunday, January 6th from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Mass to take place on Monday, January 7th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church. Donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
He was a man. Take him for all in all.
I shall not look upon his like again.
Hamlet – Shakespeare