Lee William Tompkins Jr.

LEE William TOMPKINS, JR

May 15, 1927 – November 02, 2017 (age 90)

Place of birth: Clairton, Pennsylvania

Lee died peacefully at the Community Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Ramona Darlene Barnett Tompkins. They got married on February 21, 1954, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lee survived by his two loving children, Eric Lee Tompkins and Leigh-Anne Tompkins.

In addition to his children, Lee leaves behind his daughter-in-law Cindy Tompkins, his sister Doris M. Tompkins-Turner, and two grandchildren (Heather Fitzhugh and Ryan Tompkins).

Lee was a drum major in high school and a professional lifeguard. He received a Bachelor of Music in Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Lee was acting 1st Sergeant in the US Army when he led the local Army band at Fort Indiantown Gap ("the Gap"), near the end of World War II. From 1947 to 1948, he was a bassist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. From 1949 to 1954, Lee was a songwriter, singer, and bassist with Columbia Records artists "The Tattletales.” He also composed the June Christy hit song, “Why Do You Have to Go Home.” From 1956 to 1959, while living in Detroit, Michigan, he was a radio announcer and disc jockey for the jazz and standard radio station, WEXL. For many years until his retirement, Lee was a manufacturer’s representative for the Baldwin, Roland, Kimball, and Vancouver (bought out by Yamaha) piano companies.

Lee’s favorite thing to do was to go fishing in Michigan, Ohio, and Jacksonville, Florida. He also loved drinking coffee and smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. He was a joker and joked with everyone he knew. As he got older and ill, he became charming and kind to the people who were helping him. When he was frustrated, he recommended, teasingly, to everyone who was younger, “Please don’t get old like

me…”

Mr. Lee/Mr. T./Dad, we’ll always have you in our hearts and love you.