Sylvia Buffinton Tompkins

Born in Fall River, MA on June 9, 1934, the daughter of the late Dorothy Durfee and Azariah T. Buffinton, she graduated from Miss Porter’s School in 1951 and Wheelock College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education in 1955. During the summer of 1953, at age 19, she sailed from New York to Holland to live with a Dutch family and care for their five children. She stayed in touch with the van Delden family for the rest of her life.

Known affectionately as Syvie, Buffy, Mrs. T and Gama, she loved young children and worked for many years as a nursery school teacher and director. She taught Kindergarten and nursery school at the Brick Presbyterian Church in NYC from 1956-1958. In 1958, she married the late Ralph L. “Tim” Tompkins, Jr., and they moved to Yonkers, NY where she volunteered for the Junior League. After their three children finished nursery school, she returned to work as a teacher at the Reformed Church Nursery School in Bronxville, NY from 1970-1975. In 1975, they moved to Weston, MA where she became director of the

North Avenue Nursery School from 1978 - 1985.

Throughout her life, Syvie and her extended family spent summers near the ocean in Westport Harbor, MA enjoying golf and tennis as members of the Acoaxet Club, where she ran youth activities, youth hiring, and served on the tennis committee for a number of years. She was also a lifelong member of Elephant Rock Beach Club, Spindle Rock Club, and a long time member of the Friday Club. In 1989, Syvie and Tim built a house and settled in Little Compton, RI. When Tim retired in 1997, they spent winters in their condo in Flatts Village, Bermuda, where they enjoyed playing golf as members of Riddles Bay Club and

Coral Beach Club. Sadly, Tim died in January 1999, but Syvie continued to split her time between Little Compton and Bermuda up until January 2020.

An avid animal lover, Syvie volunteered for over twenty years at BAMZ, the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo where she prepared the diet for her beloved tree kangaroos, lemurs, and tropical birds. While raising her family, the household always included several cats and Labrador Retrievers. She especially enjoyed traveling to new cities and countries across Europe. She will be remembered for her dry wit, authenticity, warmth and generosity. As one nephew recently wrote: “she was one of the best - strong, caring, loyal, funny, and downright cool.”

Syvie is survived by one son, Ralph L. “Rip” Tompkins III and his wife, Fran Clark of Little Compton, RI; two daughters, Holly T. Cummings and her husband, David Cummings of Westport Harbor, MA, and Lindsay McK. Tompkins and her husband, Jeffrey Henderson of Shelburne, VT; seven grandchildren, Piper and McKean Tompkins; Max, Jamie and Lucy Cummings; and Weller and Phoebe Henderson. She was predeceased by three sisters: Helena D. Buffinton, Elizabeth B. Briggs, and Anne B. O’Brien.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at the medical and radiology oncology units at Southcoast Healthcare Center for Cancer in Fall River, MA for the outstanding care that Syvie received, and Helen Palmer, a true gift, who assisted the family in caring for Syvie with love and compassion until her last day.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 2nd at the United Congregational Church, One Commons Street, Little Compton, RI 02837. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made online in her memory to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo at https://bamz.org/support/donate.