Gwendolyn May Tomlins

She was predeceased by her grandparents Fredrick and Louisa McCarty, as well as her brother Robert “Bobby” Epstein, her Aunties Annie Soares (Manuel), Matilda “Honey” McCarty, Edwina “Nicky” Gualco (Harry), and her Uncle George “Georgie” McCarty. She was also predeceased by her parents Louise Silva Rodriguez, and Daniel Silva. She is also predeceased by her loving husband of 69 years, Curtis Kenneth Tomlins, and their beloved daughter Gail Renee Tomlins.

She is survived by her brother Daniel Epstein, sister Lorelei Cobb, her daughter Melissa Louise Lamar (Ryan) and grandchildren Brian Tyler Henneberry (Kristina), Amanda Taylor Henneberry, and Julian Michael Lamar, her daughter Dorrie Daniela Tomlins (Daniel) and grandchildren Daniela Renee Rich (Anthony), great-grandchild Brayden Patrikeyev, and grandson Luke Harrison Rosenthal, her son Kertis Kenneth Tomlins and grandsons Jacob Kenneth Tomlins and Colby Harlor Tomlins, cousin Laverne Skinner, and many other cousins, nieces and nephews.

Gwen was born February 24, 1937 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She spent much of her youth in the loving care of her dear grandparents, Frederick and Louisa who raised her in the Aloha culture of giving, peace, and centering children. She witnessed the bombings at Pearl Harbor when she was only 4 years old. She shared many beautiful memories of growing up on the island with her extended family which included her Aunties, Uncles, cousin Lavernie, her pet pig, Oink Oink, dog Uku, and the family horse named Trigger. In her youth she worked as a paper girl, junior traffic officer, and hula dancer. When her mother remarried Gwen moved to the mainland USA to join her family in Congers, NY. This is where she met and fell in love with her husband Curtis Kenneth Tomlins.

Gwen was a committed community leader, working tirelessly with the Minisceongo-Central Haverstraw Girl Scouts. In 2001 she was awarded the Thanks Badge for 45 years of Scouting and service by the Rockland County Girl Scout Council. She worked as a Troop Leader, Service Unit Chairman, Board of Directors Member, Field Executive and Day Camp Director for Camp Addison Boyce in Stony Point. She also worked at the Girl Scout House in New City until her retirement. She ran the “I Live My Faith” and “Marian Award” Catholic Girl Scout program for many years. She initiated Ecumenical events in these roles and stressed that it was important for girls to have a forum for the “exchange of ideas leading to an understanding of each other’s faiths.”

Gwen served as liaison between Catholic Girl Scouts and the Archdiocese of New York through the Catholic Religious Awards Program and ran Vacation Bible School. She was a beloved parishioner and spiritual teacher to generations of Rockland County residents. She loved her church, St. Gregory Barbarigo, where she was one of its original founding parishioners in 1961 when Father Darby, a priest she held in high esteem began. She participated in Bible Study for many years at St. Gregory’s. Among her fondest memories were meeting Pope Saint John Paul II in 1995, and Cardinal Dolan in 2019. She received commendations for her service from Cardinal John Joseph O’Connor in 1999 and 2000, Monsignor James F. Bolger in 1995, and Senator Thomas P. Monohan in 2001. She rarely missed a Sunday mass over her 62 years of history with St. Gregory’s. Her favorite mass of the year was of course, Girl Scout Sunday.

Gwen was also an active member of the PTA and was PTA president at Garnerville 202 Elementary School and Thiells Elementary School.

According to Hawaiian tradition and culture, Gwen raised her children to value community service, charity, and volunteerism with an emphasis on supporting children and the elderly. She brought them out into nature on many camporees and hikes where they learned about the wilderness. She also played folk guitar and gave lessons to her children and local children in the 1970’s and 80’s. She emphasized that music could heal and relieve. She arranged performances throughout the community at nursing homes, campgrounds, and schools. Gwen also led a drill team that marched in local parades and ran flag ceremonies.

As a “Tutu” Gwen derived immense joy from spending time with her seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She made sure every holiday was larger than life. Her house smelled of Hawaiian loaf bread during the holiday season and her grandkids look back fondly on the elaborate Easter egg hunts she'd plan for them.

Gwen enjoyed family trips to Oahu, her home island, vacations with her family in the mainland, and trips to Atlantic City with her lifelong love, Ken Tomlins.

She repeated the following life lessons over and over for her children and grandchildren to ponder, each of which she attributed to her beloved grandfather, Frederick McCarty, whose cane she will be buried with today:

“Today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow, live for today.”

“All of your life is one day.”

“I'm sixteen forever!”

“Children are God's gift to the world.”

“Life is beautiful.”