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Tompkins, Helen Rose
Helen RoseTompkins, 88, of rural Iowa City, died Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, at Mercy Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. Burial will take place at the Morse Cemetery. A reception for family and friends will be held at the Morse Community Center, following the graveside services. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in her memory.
Online condolences may be sent to her family through the web at
Helen Rose Kabela was born Aug. 7, 1921, in rural Johnson County, Iowa, the daughter of Albert and Alice (Wheeler) Kabela. She married Richard E. Tompkins on June 25, 1955, in Springfield, Ill., returning to Iowa, where they raised their family. Helen worked at Whetstone Drug Store for 18 years, at the Solon Care Center for a number of years and helped with the Solon Congregate Meals program for some time. She was a former member of the Solon United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women's Group, currently a member of Our Lord's Church in Solon, and a proud member of TOPPS for more than 30 years.
Helen enjoyed life to its fullest, she was always on the go, her car never cooled down until dark. She loved spending time with her family and friends, playing cards, bowling in leagues for years (and their teams were pretty darn good), going up to the family cabin at Blackduck Lake in Minnesota, and if you were some of the lucky ones, she made you the best cream puffs around! Her smile, good nature and friendship was a blessing to so many and will be missed by all.
Her family includes her sons, Ron (Mary) Johnson of Dubuque, Roy Tompkins of Marion, Ted (Rosi) Tompkins and Richard “Richie” (Connie) Tompkins, all of Solon; daughter, Jeanne Hamilton of West Branch; daughter-in-law, Penny Tompkins of Solon; 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; sister, Ethel Rozinek of West Branch; sister-in-law, April Tompkins of Iowa City; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, John Tompkins; grandson; two brothers; two sisters; and two sisters in infancy.
Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Helen's family and her services.
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