Gladys Elizabeth Tomkins

Gladys Elizabeth Tomkins Gladys Elizabeth (Taylor) Tomkins died peacefully Thursday, March 15, 2018, at Bob and Corky's Care Home in San Luis Obispo at the age of 98. Born on August 23, 1919, in Rome, Pennsylvania, Gladys was the first daughter of Gwennie and Rollin Taylor. She grew up on a dairy farm, graduated from Rome High School and attended Strayer Business College in Washington, D.C., and served in the Women's Army Corps. After working at the Pentagon, she was introduced to John Preston Tomkins by her sister Adice, and they married on June 18, 1946. Gladys and her husband raised three children, living for years in Phelps and then Dryden, both in upstate New York. She worked as a secretary at Cornell University and enjoyed singing and participating in musicals in a community theater group, sewing, knitting, gardening, flower arranging, and playing bridge. Gladys moved to Modesto, Calif. with her husband to be closer to her children, grand- children and sister after her husband retired from Cornell. While in Modesto, she became a California State Flower Judge and served for a time as President of the Modesto Garden Club. In her later years, she moved to San Luis Obispo to be closer to her son Jim and family. Well into her late 80s to early 90s, she continued to exercise at a local health club. Gladys is predeceased by her husband, John; and brother, Harold Taylor. She is survived by her three children: James (Diane) Tomkins of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Carole Tomkins (Nick Hinrichs) of San Rafael, Calif. and Rovio, Switzerland, and Nancy Tomkins of Menlo Park, Calif.; her two sisters: Adice Schuchterman (95) of Modesto, Calif. and Phyllis Beyers (89) of Coconut Creek, Fla.; two grandchildren: Jimmy (Kayla) Tomkins of Lancaster, Calif. and Dan Tomkins of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and many other loving relatives. Memorial services will be held at 4:00 pm, Saturday, March 24, 2018, at the San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church at 1515 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Memorial donations may be sent to: Random Acts of Flowers, a national non-profit that improves the emotional health and well-being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement and personal moments of kindness. http://randomactsofflowers.org/individual-giving/