Don M. Tompkins passed away at his home in Caledonia, Michigan, on Friday, July19th at the age of 81.

Don was born on January 31, 1943, in Kennett, Missouri.  The eldest of three siblings, Don spent his childhood days in Holcomb, Missouri, a small cotton farming town in the southeast “boot-heel” of the state. Cared for by his loving grandparents, Don learned to shoot pool at his uncle’s pool hall in town and developed a taste for Southern home cooking. Don moved to Bloomington, Illinois, in his teens, graduating from high school in 1961.  As a teen, he loved singing early Elvis tunes in his 3-part band and bought his first car (a 1949 Plymouth) for $50; his first job was delivering ‘broasted’ chicken at a local carryout.

Enlisting in the Navy in Feb 1965, Don served three tours in Vietnam working in Naval intelligence before retiring in Jan 1973. After Vietnam, Don was stationed on Oahu, Hawaii, as a Government Civilian where he continued to serve in the Navy’s Pacific Fleet Command, while simultaneously earning his bachelor’s degree from Chaminade University. Delving into the emerging world of computer science and IT management, Don rose quickly through the ranks of his profession, working at Honeywell, Mead Data Central (LexisNexis), American Express, and Texas Instruments. Don’s professional career culminated at First Consulting Group, where he served as Executive Vice President, and later as the CEO of two healthcare IT management consulting firms.

Don loved the beaches of Hawaii and the deserts of Arizona; he loved fast cars, 1950’s music, driving on open roads, watching late night boxing, collecting antique cameras, occasionally indulging in a good cigar, and reading spy novels. In his retirement, Don even wrote his own spy thriller, “I Minus 72.”  A devoted husband, loving father, and one of the world’s best huggers, Don is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Kelly; his two siblings, Richard Tompkins (s. Suzi Tompkins) and Dianne Webb (s. Doug Webb); his children Scott, Kevin, Keith, Emily and Matthew, his many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his devoted pug, Goldie. 

A memorial open house will be held at his home in Caledonia, on Saturday, August 24^th at 1pm, and all are welcome