Dr Carl Oscar Tompkins

Carl Oscar Tompkins

Carl Oscar Tompkins. M.D., 87, died Saturday (July 18, 2009) at his home in Newton.

He was born on Feb. 20, 1922, on the family farm in rural Stafford County, the son of Elmer Lee and Jetta Maude (Alton) Tompkins.

He married Violet M. VanBrocklin on June 14, 1942, in Wichita. They had three children.

He later married Linda Schill on Sept. 28, 1987, in Bentonville, Ark.

Carl attended Friends University after graduating from Byers High School in 1939. He was in the Coast Guard from 1942 to 1945. He then finished his bachelor of arts degree at Friends University and was accepted into medical school at Kansas University.

He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society after receiving his medical degree in 1951.

His rotating internship was at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita from 1952 to 1953. He started his medical practice in Hillsboro but moved to Newton in April 1953, where he practiced with two other physicians until August 1986. When anyone asked him what kind of doctor he was, he would reply, 'he took care of people.'

He practiced before there were many specialists, so he performed many surgeries, took and read his own X-rays and ECGs and delivered about 1,000 babies in his lifetime.

In addition to his full-time medical practice, he was the health officer for Harvey County from 1963 to 1974. He developed the first sanitary code for the county, developed the first organized Health Department in the county with V.D. clinics, family-planning clinics and home health services.

He served as chairman of the Health Officer Association and president of the Kansas Public Health Association. He was an affiliate delegate from Kansas to the National Public Health Association.

From 1953 to l986, Carl was on the medical staff at Bethel Deaconess Hospital, where he served as president of the medical staff. Beginning in 1954, he was an instructor with the Bethel Hospital Nursing Program. Many nurses at Newton Medical Center remember what a great teacher he was and frequently told him this.

In 1979, he and four others from Newton travelled to Boulder, Colo., to obtain the education they needed to start the Harvey County Hospice Inc. He served as medical director of hospice for three years. This was an all-volunteer hospice, which eventually changed to Central Homecare and Hospice. It now is owned and run by Harry Hynes Hospice, one of the only non-profit hospice programs in the state of Kansas.

Carl retired at 70, but he went to Attica for a year so the community would not lose their rural health clinic, a 55-bed nursing home and small hospital.

As the president of Kiwanis more than 40 years ago, he helped start the Newton High School graduation all-night party.

Retiring to Bella Vista, Ark., in 1988, he became very active in Bella Vista Community Church. He and Linda became leaders in the Stephen Ministry Program, and together they started one of the first Parish Nurse Programs in the state of Arkansas. They spent 10 years in a passionate endeavor to change the nursing home situation in Arkansas. As a result, nursing home care eventually was improved.

In 1981, Carl received the Crumbine Award for being the most outstanding contributor to public health in the state of Kansas.

In 1982, he received the Kansas State Nurses Association award for the Outstanding Employer of the Year.

In 2004, Carl and Linda returned to Newton to be closer to family.

Because of the wonderful example Carl was to so many people and for all he did quietly in life, his family has no doubt that Carl's philosophies of life were fulfilled. One was to always leave a place better than what you found it, and to always accept people for what they are.

He is survived by his wife and soul mate, Linda Tompkins; one son, Greg and Susan Tompkins of Newton; two daughters, Carolyn and Jim Hunter of Scott City, and Christa and Morris Taylor of Topeka; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers, Donald and Martha Tompkins of Pittsburg, and Garry and Carol Tompkins of Deltona, Fla.; two sisters, Jetta Wellman of Macksville, and Mary Ann and Bill Soerries of Pratt; and sister-in-law, Jane Tompkins of Pratt.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marjorie Savoy; and brothers, Vernon Tompkins, Victor Tompkins, Wayne Tompkins, Marion Tompkins and Larry Tompkins.

The Celebration of Life service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Newton.

The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be given to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in care of Petersen Family Funeral Home in Newton, which is in charge of arrangements.