Richard "Dick" Tompkins 1947 - 2018

TOMPKINS, BAILEY, BLAIR

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/17/2018 at 15:43:14

Sioux City Journal
11 January 2018

Sioux City

Richard "Dick" Tompkins, 70, of Sioux City, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, at Pearl Valley Rehab in Sutherland, Iowa.

Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 11 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home.

Dick was born on July 28, 1947, to Ralph "Curly" Tompkins and Darlene Bailey. In 1953, Curly married Audrey Bailey and she became mom to Dick. The family lived in the Springdale area of Sioux City, where Dick fished, played baseball, swam in the old Floyd River Channel, and climbed many trees. He played Little League and junior league baseball and then went on to play baseball, football, and basketball at Leeds High School, where he graduated in 1965. He also played the trumpet in high school and later with a local band.

In 1964, Dick met his future wife, Delphene Blair. They were married on Jan. 5, 1965 and just had their 53rd wedding anniversary. Dick was an EMT and spent many years as a volunteer and an officer with the Civil Defense. In his early years, he worked at Sioux Tools, then sold heavy construction equipment for 35 years, before retiring in 2012.

Dick and Delphene spent vacation times traveling to their favorite places, Grand Canyon, Estes Park, Yellowstone, and New Orleans. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan. Dick developed cancer and dementia, which eventually took away his spark.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Delphene; three sons, Brian (Monica) of Sioux City, Joel (Sherri) of Grand Junction, Colo., and Marty (Renae) of Sergeant Bluff; eight grandchildren, Leticia, Amber, Brendan, Matthew, Wade, Alexandra, Aaron, and Lindsey; six great-grandchildren; and siblings, Sandy (Mike) Hanlon, Terri (Ron) Beller, and Gary ( Dani) Tompkins, all of Sioux City.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents.