Jerry Tompkins

Jerry Tompkins of Virginia Beach died on Thurs., Halloween, Oct. 31, 2019. He had just recently celebrated his 80th birthday and had watched the Nationals win their first World Series the previous day. For the past two years, he had lived at the Waterford on Wesleyan Drive, while he previously lived in Haygood Point and Lake Smith Terrace in Virginia Beach for over 50 years. Born in Bartlesville, OK, he moved around the United States with his parents Harold and Evelyn Elizabeth (“Liz”) Tompkins as the Navy moved his Chief father through various commands, eventually settling in Norfolk. He graduated from Norview High School and attended what later became Old Dominion University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1962. He worked for the Norfolk public school system as an art educator and eventually an art history specialist. He also worked for many years as an adjunct assistant professor for Old Dominion University’s College of Arts and Letters where he also received his Master’s degree. He married the former Martha E. Jones in 1962, and together they had two sons, K. Todd Tompkins and Scott Taylor Tompkins. Jerry was passionate about art and art history. He had a touch of what visual artists would call “horror vacui” (literally, “fear of blank spaces”), and he covered nearly every square inch of the walls and any horizontal surfaces of his houses first on Miles Standish Road and then on De-La Fayette Court with art of his own making and art in which he was interested. He worked in multiple media—oils, watercolors, chalk and especially photography—and avidly collected sculpture and pottery. He enjoyed sharing discussions of art with those who visited him. He won numerous professional awards, including Virginia Art Educator of the Year 1995. He was very proud of his involvement with the Lake Smith Terrace, Haygood Point and Governor Square Civic League over the past decade, as well as the Virginia Art Education Association (VAEA). He was also a great lover of music, especially jazz in its many forms. He is survived by his two sons and their wives, Kelly McCool and Wendy Tompkins; two grandchildren, Taylor and Sierra Tompkins; and Martha Tompkins. A celebration of life will be held on Sat., November 16, 2019 at 4:00 PM at the Virginia Beach Art Center (VBAC) at 532 Virginia Beach Blvd, VA 23451 (the purple building), followed by a light reception also at VBAC. You may offer condolences to the family at www.kellumfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation to your local school art program or museum, such as the ODU College of Arts and Letters (https://www.odu.edu/al) or the Chrysler Museum of Art (https://chrysler.org/support/#2).