Arthur Purdum Gompf

Arthur Purdum Gompf "Call me Art", respected farmer, master craftsman, meticulous builder, boat racer and celestial navigator, polo player, dog lover, car enthusiast, adventurer, accomplished skier, and fixer of the unfixable, passed away on February 12, 2026, at the age of 82.

Known to most everyone as well as his dear son Travis, as "Art", he was also "Dad" to his beloved daughter Sara, "Pappy" to his grandchildren, and "Gunky" to lifelong friend David Halle. Colleagues and friends admired his integrity, diligence, dependability, tireless work ethic, and old school values, all of which he perpetually demonstrated while exuding authentic warmth and boundless positivity. He was a good and joyful man with a contagious laugh that was often accompanied by a mischievous twinkle in his eye. When he wasn't creating his own tricky situations (SNAFU), his friends were calling him for help with their unplanned adventures.

Born in Baltimore Maryland to Margaret Jane and Arthur Milton Gompf, Art attended the McDonogh School from first through twelfth grade. While Art spent more time in the headmaster's office than most of his peers, he did graduate and go on to Lehigh University. As a distinguished member of Lehigh's Alpha Tao Omega chapter, Art was the guardian of the fraternity's more memorable initiation traditions. While he had a very good mind for mischief, Art worked hard and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After college, Art worked at Egli and Gompf Engineering until he fell asleep while seated at a work dinner, clearly because his employers had worked him to exhaustion. Art decided to take a break from office work and join a boat crew that was racing to Bermuda. From Bermuda, he sailed to England, where he built himself a Triumph motorcycle and found employment at a dairy farm. Art and his Triumph returned to America aboard the Queen Mary, disembarking in New York. From there, Art drove his Triumph to Maryland, skidding through the GW Bridge tollbooth without too much damage to himself or the bike.

Vastly preferring to work outdoors, Art started POGO, an agricultural building construction company, that evolved into Gompf Construction Company. When he wasn't working on buildings, Art would be farming and taking care of his beloved Monta Santa Farm in Harford County, where he had Angus cows and polo ponies. As a steward of the land, Art treasured sharing his farm with others who loved horses, fishing, hunting, and farming.

Until he took ill this past July, Art was always up for an adventure. He loved to get his hands dirty. On most days, he went to the gym before sunrise and worked on the farm all day. He squeezed everything he could out of each day. He would often say, "I am just wonderful, I couldn't be any better."

While he has left us all wanting more, we are blessed to have been be able to call him our friend, husband, dad, brother, and grandfather. He will be deeply missed by his devoted wife of 54 years, Betsy Danfelt Gompf, and his favorite daughter, Sara Gompf Orthwein, Sara's husband Peter "PJ" Orthwein Jr, and their children, Sophia Isabelle, Benjamin Peter, and Timothy Arthur. Also mourning his passing are his adored sister-in-law, Sandra Lynne Gompf of Dallas, Texas, and many wonderful extended family and friends. Art is predeceased by his cherished brother, Henry "Hank"Lewis Gompf, and his beloved son, David Travis Gompf.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Humane Society of Harford County.
Donations can be processed online or by check.

A private service for family and friends will be held on Saturday, May 30th at Monta Santa Farm.