Anderson County Texas Archives Obituaries.....Tomkins, Frank Daly June 21, 2007 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Don Brownlee dbrownlee@csun.edu September 6, 2007, 6:38 pm Pasadena (CA) Star News 9/5/2007 In Loving Memory of LT. Col Frank Daly Tomkins Phyllis Marjorie Tomkins Frank passed away June 21, 2007 following a stroke and Phyllis joined him in death after a brief illness August 4, 2007. Longtime residents of Arcadia, Frank was born in Palestine, Texas on January 2, 1917, graduated from Texas Wesleyan College as a pre med major and while doing graduate work at Baylor was accepted for flight training. After receiving his wings on May 29, 1941, he was sent to Wheeler Field Hawaii, as part of the 46th Fighter Pursuit Squadron of the Army A ir Corps. On December 7, 1941 he experienced, first hand, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later, he was assigned to the newly formed 5th Air Force, as part of a P-38 Fighter group. Major Frank Tomkins became the Commanding Officer of the 432nd Squadron of the 475th Fighter Group, spending the remainder of the War in New Guinea, where his squadron was the first credited with 100 victories. The 475th shot down 547 Japanese aircraft, losing 87 P-38 Lightnings. For his service, he was awarded the Distingui shed Flying Cross and Air Medal. He retired from the Air force as a Lt. Col in 1977. In civilian life, he owned Cal-Oaks Liquor in Pasadena. Frank was a lifelong Mason, belonging to both the Palestine, TX and Arcadia, CA Lodges. Phyllis was born March 16, 1924 in Los Angeles, attended Dorsey High and UCLA. She and Frank were married on August 6, 1945 and moved to Arcadia in 1953. An Interior Designer, Phyllis owned Tomkins and Tompkins Interiors. In 1987, she was the first woman to join the Arcadia Rotary C lub, and served proudly, with perfect attendance, until her death. Her artistic talents were a considerable asset to her community volunteer activities. Frank and Phyllis were preceded in death by their son, Kenneth Lee, and are survived by daughters Caroline Jo Pickett (John), Tammy Ranville, son Tom Tomkins (Suzanne), nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Frank was interred on August 28 at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, and his beloved Phyllis was laid to rest beside hi m. A memorial service will be held September 8, 2007 at Church of the Good Shepherd, 400 W. Duarte Rd, Arcadia at 10:30 AM. Memorial gifts may be made to Arcadia Rotary Foundation, 501 S. First Ave Ste J, Arcadia CA 91006, or Church of the Good Shepherd, 400 W. Duarte Rd, Arcadia CA 91007 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/obits/t/tomkins378gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/txfiles/ File size: 3.0 Kb