Vincent Joseph Tompkins

TOMPKINS, VINCENT JOSEPH, 89 - of Cape May, died peacefully Tuesday, November 13, 2007. Vincent was a resident of Chester, PA and St. Louis, MO before he and his family moved to Cape May where they owned and operated Van's Marina in Lower Township, from 1967-1971. Prior to 1967, Vincent worked as the comptroller at General Steel Industries in Eddystone, PA and St. Louis, MO for many years. He spent the later portion of his career in the general contracting business in Cape May. In 1992, he and his late wife Dorothy built their home overlooking the Cape May Canal, where he lived until his death. Vincent had a lifelong passion for building wooden boats which he enjoyed using with his family on the Chesapeake Bay. During WWII he served as a First Lieutenant in the First Army, 30th Division, 120th Infantry Regiment, and fought in France, Belgium and Germany. He was a longtime member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Cape May. Vincent was predeceased by his wife of 65 years Dorothy Frances (nee Sharkey) who died in February of this year; his son David Vincent Tomkins in 1951; his brother Alphonse Tompkins; his sister Marie Walker. Survivors include his nine children (and their spouses) Christine (and Leo) McKenna of Windsor, VT, Lorraine (and Lawrence) Kelly of Canaan, NH, Stephen (and Margaret) of Cape May, Robert (and Nancy) of Cape May, Marguerite (and Michael Mensik) of Chicago, IL, Michael (and Grace Munakata) of Berkeley, CA, Patrick (and Jaisri Lingappa) of Seattle, WA, Vincent (and Alison Carnduff) of Watertown, MA, Christopher of San Francisco, CA, 12 grandchildren: David, Paul, Gabriel, Erin, Michael, Julia, Daniel and Lucy Tompkins, Megan and John Kelly, and Jack and Kristina Mensik. One great grandson: Graham Kelly. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30am Friday, November 16, 2007 in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 525 Washington St., Cape May where there will be a viewing one hour prior to Mass. Interment will follow in Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery, Linwood, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Vincent's memory be made to Our Lady Star of the Sea Church Pledge Fund, 525 Washington St., Cape May, NJ 08204. (Sudak-Danaher F.H., Cape May).