Tempe Mortuary - Tempe Obituary

Patricia Edith Tompkins passed away in her home on May 31, 2025 surrounded by cherished family. Trish was an accomplished woman who lived a dignified life of service to the Lord.

Trish was born in 1942, the first of four children to Harvey and Emma Patterson, in the idyllic small town of Fillmore, California. Even in her formative years, Trish proved herself highly responsible. Later in life, she recalled it a privilege to help care for her young siblings and work in the family hardware store that stood a pillar of the community for decades.

After high school, Trish attended LaVerne College where she earned a degree in Elementary Education. Her studies emphasized music, a fitting discipline as she had trained as a vocalist and classical pianist since she was five years old.

She met her husband, David Lee Tompkins, on a cross-country Church Of The Brethren tour in college. They married on December 19, 1964 and settled into life in Southern California where they welcomed sons Jeff (Elizabeth) and Greg (Jerri). Ten years after Greg was born, they adopted Becky (Clifford) and then Katie one year later. Trish maintained an immaculate home, serving garden-to-table meals for her husband and four growing children.

Whether it was sewing, singing, knitting, cooking, playing piano or planning events, Trish did things with excellence--even down to her penmanship. As an elementary teacher, she poured herself into her students. She had a knack for finding potential in children and teaching them to love reading. Trish herself loved to read. Even in her final months of life, she read several books a week.

As a new, young mother Trish fully devoted her life to Jesus, never looking back or doubting His sovereignty. This resolve would guide her wisdom when making consequential decisions in the school she led as principal, as a mother and grandmother, a church member and cherished friend.

In 1982, Dave and Trish uprooted their lives traversing across the West to Torrington, Wyoming Quite simply they felt called by the Lord to the ministry of Valley Christian School, the only one of its kind in Eastern Wyoming. Trish served the school as a teacher, then the administrator for 24 years.

In 2006, Dave and Trish purchased a home in Arizona to live just down the street from their oldest son, Jeff and his family. In Arizona, Trish started a second career as an accountant at Arizona Office Technologies. At AOT, she earned the respect of her colleagues by making her department efficient and productive. Of course, she was even an Employee of the Year. After retiring for good in 2016, she devoted her time volunteering at Chandler Christian Academy where her granddaughter attended.

Nothing brought Trish more joy than taking part in the lives of her nine grandchildren, Will and Jaime (Jeff); Cole, Clarissa, Logan, Ava, and Ty (Greg); Adam and Emmaleigh (Becky). With each one, she cultivated meaningful bonds. They are paramount aspects of her legacy on this side of Heaven.

Trish is survived by her husband Dave, sisters Nancy English (Frank) and Michelle Patterson, brother David Patterson (Shannon), children Jeffrey Bruce Tompkins, Gregory Lee Tompkins, Becky Ji Robinson and Kathryn Joo Tompkins. She is preceded in death by daughter-in-law, Michele Leigh Tompkins and grandson William Bruce Tompkins.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Valley Christian School 2441 East E Street, Torrington Wyoming 82240 or Venmo @ValleyChristianSchool1978