- Date Of Birth: November 5, 1947
- Date Of Death: August 5, 2006
- State: Indiana
Sharon Lou Tompkins, 58, of 8719 E. Wesley Lane, died at 1:41 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 5, 2006) in Elkhart General Hospital after a brief illness. She was born Nov. 5, 1947, in Paducah, Ky., to Chas H. and Reba (Pearigen) Russell. She married Eldon R. Tompkins on Nov. 30, 1968, in South Bend.
He survives, along with one son, Brian (Lori) Tompkins of Goshen; one daughter, Kristi (Ted) Napierala of North Webster; three grandchildren; two brothers, Gary (Janice) Randolph of Elkhart and Jerry (Janice) Randolph of Marcellus, Mich.; and her mother, Reba (Ed) Randolph of Elkhart.
She was preceded in death by her father, Chas; and one brother, Daniel E. Randolph Jr.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at Crossroads Community Church, with Pastor Don Comstock officiating. Burial in Prairie Street Cemetery, Elkhart, will follow services.
After her graduation from Penn High School and Indiana University South Bend, Mrs. Tompkins worked in the advertising departments of several area companies for almost 30 years. She left that business to become self-employed with Cruise One, a home-based travel agency, for the next 10 years.
Her enjoyment of nature landed her a position with the United States Department of Agriculture, where she worked in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on the APHIS (Animal/Plant Health Inspection Service) Project, where she assisted in monitoring the emerald ash borer infestation throughout Indiana. She took part in capturing and studying the insects as well. She also enjoyed volunteering and serving in such organizations as the Webster Lake Association, Concord Booster Club, North Webster Chamber of Commerce, and the Elkhart County Mental Health Association.
Mrs. Tompkins was an extensive traveler, having visited Australia and New Zealand.
