Dr. Robert Tompkins

Dr Robert Tompkins died peacefully at home after a long illness on August 11, 2025, at the age of 84. Robert was born in Rhinebeck New York on June 13, 1941 to William G Tompkins, a farmer and judge, and Evelyn Tompkins an elementary school teacher. He had an older brother Charles and a younger brother Glenn, both of whom preceded him in death.

Always a hard worker, he painted barns for neighbors during the summer vacations and trapped animals for fur during the freezing upstate New York winters. He inherited a passion for learning from his mother, and this, combined with his work ethic, allowed him to skip grades in school and enter college at the age of 16. He graduated from Earlham college, where he also met his first wife, Dorothy Hatton in 1962. He then obtained a PhD from Indiana University in 1968, and after completing a postdoctoral NIH fellowship, became an assistant biology professor at Princeton University. He subsequently accepted a position at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he went on to become full professor, and taught for 25 years. Robert married his second wife Dana Reinschmidt in 1979. During his academic career, he mentored scores of college students seeking careers in science and medicine and conducted research in genetics and developmental neurobiology, resulting in dozens of publications, many with his wife Dana. A lifelong bibliophile, he accumulated thousands of books in his library, many of which he had read and committed to memory. Robert possessed a remarkable intellect and in-depth knowledge about a wide range of subjects. Many people who knew him considered him the smartest person they had ever known.

As he approached retirement from teaching, he and his wife, Dana, a research biologist, reinvented themselves as co-owners and operators of an award-winning gourmet candy store in New Orleans, Southern Candymakers along with their son Peter. After retiring from Tulane University, Robert and Dana moved to Tybee Island, where they built their retirement home and have lived for more than 20 years. In his spare time, Robert enjoyed growing heirloom tomatoes, and exercising at the local YMCA, where he was a well-liked regular.

Robert is survived by his wife of 46 years Dana Reinschmidt; his children from his first marriage: John , Peter, and Emily; his daughter-in-law Melissa; and son-in-law-law Kevin. He is also survived by his grandchildren Christina Tompkins and her husband Ben Williams, Victoria Golden and her husband Dan Golden, Amanda Carter and Lilly Carter; his step-grandchild Nicolas Mendez; his great granddaughter Martha Golden; his niece Bobbi Tompkins and her son Alex.

He was a loving husband, father, and friend, as well as teacher and mentor to countless students. He will be deeply missed by all.

There will be a burial ceremony at Greenwich Cemetery in Savannah at 10 AM on Friday, August 15, 2025.