Marian Evonne Neal Tompkins, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Sunday morning, March 17, 2013, surrounded by her loving family at her side.

Marian was born to Earlie Roscoe Neal and Dora Linda Ashe Neal of Reidsville, N.C. on April 1, 1936. Her precious grandmother, Dora Darlene Ashe helped raise and nurture her. Marian grew up as a member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Reidsville, N.C. She joined First Christian Church, in Reidsville, after her marriage. She and her husband returned to Marian's home church several years ago and remained a member there until her passing.

Following High School, she completed her degree in Nursing at Winston-Salem State University, and then she returned home to Reidsville, as she wanted to use her nursing degree to serve her hometown family and community. A few years later, she became reacquainted with her high school classmate, William David "Bill" Tompkins. They married in 1962 and began a journey of unconditional love and companionship that lasted 51 years. God blessed Marian and Bill with two children, Linda and Cynthia, one grandchild, Lauren, and many nieces and nephews. She deeply loved Jesus Christ and honored Him by diligently following His greatest commandment to love everyone. As such, she faithfully loved and tirelessly served her community, church, friends, extended family, and especially her grandmother, husband and daughters all the days of her blessed life.

Marian understood that her career in nursing was not just a job, but indeed, God had anointed her to be a nurse. Consequently, she treated each patient like family, never hesitating to return to the hospital or to the home of the impaired to render care on her off days or vacation days. She used her anointed hands, kind smile, humble spirit, and God inspired gifts to comfort and bless so many patients and families during their times of illness and suffering. In addition to her work as a hospital staff nurse, she also served as a school nurse for many years, as a nurse administrator, a Hospice nurse, and her final nursing position was Director of the Skilled Care Nursing Facility at Annie Penn Memorial Hospital, in Reidsville, N.C.

Marian was blessed with many talents; singing was one of her greatest gifts. Her children often stated that they were blessed each morning with the sound of God's music. The house on Courtland Avenue, in Reidsville N.C., was filled with melodious sounds, as Marian sang songs to the Lord innumerable hours each day. Thus, when her daughters told her, after they had grown up and left home, that they loved music and that God speaks to them through music and songs, Marian smiled, because she knew that God had anointed her to place His words, through musical Christian songs, in their hearts.

In addition to using her hands in nursing to comfort the sick, Marian graciously used those loving hands in the kitchen and poured out immeasurable blessings in her amazing and mouth-watering dishes, which her family called "Mom's Signature Dishes." Truly, when her daughters were children they would frequently ask why there were such large portions of prepared food for such a small family. Marian would smile and warmly tell her girls and husband that they had been blessed; as such, it was imperative that they give generously of their time and possessions and be a blessing to other families in the community. So, after long ten to twelve hour workdays, Marian would cook big dishes of banana pudding, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked casseroles, and other "Signature Dishes." Amazingly, she always found the strength to not only prepare, but also deliver these dishes to the homes of families whose loved ones were sick or grieving. Indeed, it would be hard to find a family in her community of Reidsville, N.C. from 1962-2007 who had not been the blessed recipient of one of Marian's Signature Dishes and visits during their time of need.

Remarkably, even after she became ill in 2007 and she and her husband moved to live with their daughter Cynthia, on the days when she was feeling reasonably well and she would hear that others were ill, she would find the strength to take off her oxygen cannula and prepare a full meal for the family who was in need. Cynthia recalls coming home from work several afternoons finding a full meal prepared, and hearing her father say, "I tried to stop her, but she said it makes her feel better to serve others in need." She would be standing there smiling over the food and she would proudly state, "Before you settle in for the evening, please take this over to their home." Indeed, Marian continued to bless and pray for those in need, even at such a time as that, when there was illness in her own body. What a mighty God we serve, and what an amazing woman God made when He created Marian Evonne Neal Tompkins. To God be all the glory for the life that Marian lived!

Marian was preceded in death by her father, Earlie Roscoe Neal, her mother, Dora Linda Ashe Neal, her grandmother, Dora Darlene Ashe, a favorite aunt, Lillian Ashe Slade, her brother, Reuben Earl Neal, twin brother, Milton Neal, sister, Vivian Neal Blackwell, and her father-in-law Malachi Willie Tompkins and mother in-law, Jessiena Raiford Tompkins, whom Marian always proudly referred to as God's double blessing when they became her parents, after her marriage.

The following people are left to mourn her passing, but they are also celebrating her anointed purpose-filled life. Today, they are rejoicing in God's blessed promise that their family matriarch's (wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt) separation from them is only temporary, as God has promised that they will be reunited in body, mind, and spirit one day, to live together in eternity. Her much-loved family, which she leaves behind includes, her beloved husband of 51 years, William David "Bill" Tompkins, her devoted daughters, Linda Darlene Tompkins and Cynthia Elaine Tompkins, her precious granddaughter, Lauren Kadi, her nephew, Harold Holt, her sister, Alice Neal Jones, several other nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, former colleagues, and innumerable friends.

Marian's husband, daughters and family wish to express their deep gratitude for all the prayers and comfort received from our many cherished friends and from the numerous nurses, nurses aids and doctors at Cone Hospital in Greensboro, N.C., Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Maryland, Lynchburg General Hospital, and Centra Hospice in Lynchburg, Virginia. Our heartfelt thanks goes to all of the faithful servants, who brought honor, comfort, dignity and kindness to our family the past several years.

Marian's funeral services will be held Thursday, March 21, 2013, at 12:00 p.m.; visitation 11:30 – 12:00 p.m., prior to the service, at First Baptist Church, 401 Hubbard Street, Reidsville, N.C. Burial will be at Greenview Cemetery, in Reidsville, N.C.





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