Glen Marvin Tompkins

Glen Marvin Tompkins died at the age of 76 on March 15 in Richland, Wash., from Parkinson’s Disease.

He was born Nov. 27, 1936 to Harry and Mary (Kissler) Tompkins in Hatton, Wash., the youngest of six children. They later moved to Ritzville where he attended school and graduated from Ritzville High School in 1954 before attending Eastern Washington University.

He was very active in sports during high school playing football, basketball and track. He was the first player from Ritzville High School to be selected for the All Tournament State Basketball First Team during his senior year.

This team was the first team to bring home a trophy for Ritzville as they placed eighth in state. He also enjoyed being a member of the “White Angels Car Club.”

He was a lineman for many years working for Washington Water Power, WICO, Benton and Franklin Counties PUD’s and Inland REA in Spokane before retiring because of a disability.

In the summer of l961, he suffered a broken neck in a water skiing accident that changed his life forever.

After many painful months in the hospital and therapy he was finally able to try to put his life back together but always struggled.

He received the Certificate of Merit from the American Red Cross in Othello, on May 18, l965, for saving the life of a fellow lineman. His quick thinking and training helped him keep Dick Winn from death by electrocution.

It was an honor that was held by only 25 other people in the nation at that time.

His hobbies included traveling, cars, singing and writing music. He had great faith in the Lord and wrote over 180 gospel songs.

He loved singing and entertaining all who would listen, especially his parents and family.

He married Barbara Cain in 1958 in Spokane and gained his first stepson, Scott Cain.

They welcomed their first son, Wade Lane Tompkins, who was born in 1959, before the marriage ended in l961.

He later married Mary Boyd in Ritzville on Sept. 7, l962, gaining a stepdaughter, Crystal Boyd, and had two more sons, Shane Karl was born in 1969, and Matthew Glen was born in 1973.

He married Sherie Boeholt on June 1, 1990, and they made their home in Pasco. Sherie had three children, Kimi, Bill and Corrinda.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Mary Tompkins; sisters, Elta Ragsdale and Lorraine Miller; brothers, Tommy and Vernon Tompkins; and grandson, Stephen Aaron.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sherie; sons, Wade (Brenda) of Fullerton, Calif., Shane (Trista) of West Richland, and Matthew of Portland, Ore .; 15 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Also surviving is sister, Darlene Lightbody of Walla Walla; sister-in-law, Helen (David) Tompkins-Vincent of Spokane and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 30, at 1 p.m. at Faith Assembly located at 1800 North Road 72 in Pasco, with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the Tri-City or Spokane Union Gospel Missions.