Edward Deal Thompkins Obituary (1946 - 2024)

Born Aug 12, 1946, Edward Deal Thompkins attended William Byrd High School in Vinton, VA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Edward Deal Thompkins.

Graduation Year	Class of 1964
Date of Birth	Aug 12, 1946
Date of Passing	Jan 22, 2024
About	Edward Deal Tompkins, known to his friends and family as “Deal”, was born in Roanoke, Virginia, August 12, 1946. He passed away at his home in Ashland, Virginia on January 22, 2024, of natural causes. Deal was predeceased by his parents, Joseph Buford Tompkins and Rebecca Johnston Tompkins, and his younger brother Joseph Buford (“J.B.”) Tompkins, Jr. He is survived by his older brother Curtis Johnston Tompkins (Kathy); nephews Robert (Elena), Joseph (Kelly), Graves (Colleen), and Forbes (Caity); niece Rebecca Philips (Chris); grandnephews Jack, Brooks, Walker, Teddy and Bryce; grandnieces Katie, Penelope and Haylee. Deal was devoted to his family and cherished the time they spent together. He particularly cherished his grandnieces and grandnephews, and they adored him. Deal grew up in Vinton, Virginia along with his brothers Curtis and J.B. He graduated from William Byrd High School in 1964, where he played trumpet in the band and was president of the student body his senior year. He also worshiped and sang at Thrasher Memorial Methodist Church. Deal graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1968 and subsequently taught science courses and coached the tennis team at Glenvar High School in Salem, Virginia. He was hired by Randolph-Macon College to visit high schools to recruit prospective students, and he attended the University of Virginia’s graduate program in landscape architecture. Deal grew up working in his father’s hardware store in Vinton and he eventually purchased the business from his father, renaming it “Tompkins Hardware.” He was elected to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and was a real estate agent in Roanoke for several years. Deal found his calling as a college development officer, which he practiced for more than three decades. He became an expert in planned giving and worked for several colleges, including Randolph-Macon, Mary Washington, Southern Seminary, Sweet Briar, Washington College and Emory & Henry. He also advised several churches on their fundraising programs. Prior to retiring, Deal served as president of the Virginia United Methodist Foundation in Richmond, Virginia. Throughout his adult life, Deal stayed enthusiastically involved with Randolph-Macon College and he chose to spend his retirement years close to campus. He attended most of the home games of the Randolph-Macon sports teams and benefited from using the college’s recreational center daily. In honor of the impact that Randolph-Macon College had throughout Deal’s life, his family has established the Edward Deal Tompkins Memorial Scholarship Fund at Randolph-Macon. Deal’s ashes will be placed alongside his brother J.B.’s in the columbarium at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia this spring. His family suggests that contributions be made in Deal’s honor and memory to the Edward Deal Tompkins Memorial Scholarship Fund at Randolph-Macon College, Post Office Box 5505, Ashland, VA 23005-5505, (phone: (804) 752-3605).