GAIL ELAINE TOMPKINS

Gail Elaine Tompkins, age 68, passed away after a short illness. She was a Rhode Island native, born in Providence in 1949, to Ruth (Barney) and Charles Tompkins. Her father was an United States Army officer, and Gail was a lucky "Army brat." She lived in Germany in the early 1950s, and later in Verona, Italy in the 1960s. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Gail taught first grade in Virginia for eight years, and then she earned an Ed.D in Reading and Language Arts from Virginia Tech. Over her 25 year university teaching career, she taught at Miami University in Ohio, the University of Oklahoma, and finally at California State University, Fresno. She received awards for teaching excellence at OU and CSUF and was inducted into the California Reading Association Hall of Fame. Gail will be remembered as a college textbook author. She is the author of Language Arts: Patterns of Practice, Literacy for the 21st Century, Literacy in the Early Grades, Literacy in the Middle Grades, Teaching Writing, 50 Literacy Strategies, and Language Arts Essentials, all published by Pearson. Each of Dr. Tompkins' books have been the leading texts in their respective markets. Thousands of pre-service teachers across the United States have learned to teach reading, writing, and language arts from her books. In addition, Dr. Tompkins worked with elementary through college-level writing teachers at two National Writing Project sites during the last three decades. She directed the Oklahoma Writing Project when she taught at the University of Oklahoma, and more recently she led the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project (SJVWP) in California, where she encouraged teachers to write for publication. After her retirement, Gail divided her time between her home in Fresno, CA, and her vacation home on Cape Cod, MA, enjoying both New England's traditional culture and Fresno's multicultural milieu. She is survived by her step-son Todd Osterberg and his wife Christine; and grandchildren, Jordan and Gillian Osterberg of Roseville, CA, by Kim Clark, her daughter by choice, and her husband Reynaldo Villalobos; grandchildren, Ava and Ivan Villalobos; and by her brother, Creigh Tompkins of Richmond, VA. A Celebration of Gail's Life will be held at the Terraces at San Juaquin Gardens, 5555 North Fresno Street, Fresno, CA, on Sunday, December 10, 2017, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. A Burial Service was held in Spring Vale Cemetery, Newman Avenue, Rumford, ME, on Friday, November 10, 2017, at 12:00 noon. Remembrances may be made to the American Humane Society; Heifer International; or your local public radio station. Arrangements have been entrusted to J.H. Williams & Co Funeral Home, 210 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI. For online messages of condolence, kindly visit www.jhwilliamsfuneral home.com.