John Frederick Tompkins, Ph.D.

PHOENIX – John Frederick Tompkins, Ph.D., born July 22, 1948 in Des Moines, IA, joined the Church Triumphant suddenly on May 16, 2018 in Phoenix, AZ, after a short illness. John was adopted by Dorothy Dusenberry and Denzel Tompkins 6 days after his birth. They, a couple of years later, adopted a second child Robert Tompkins. Both adoptive parents preceded him in death. In his adult life, John wanted more information about his birth family. Setting out on a search for them using two lawyers and a private investigator, John ran into a brick wall time and time again. The State of Iowa has some of the toughest laws dealing with adoptive records. Iowa has the nickname of the “Bastard State”. Forgetting about the third element in the equation: the child. John persisted and discovered his birth family: Jim Milbourn (Marti), Jeff Milbourn (Barbara), Margo Burns-Nelligan (Scott) and Kirk Thomas. In May of 2016, the five siblings gathered for a week to greet their new brother and have maintained contact since. John shared 28 wonderful years with his partner Michael Gregory who preceded him in death from liver cancer. Seeking the warm glow of the sun after all those years of frozen winters, John moved to Phoenix one week after he retired from the Des Moines Public Schools as their test administrator after 36 years. He often regaled his Phoenix friends with stories of the great flood of 1993. No water, no sewer... nothing for 10 days. More than his storytelling of days past, he loved to travel with Mitch Picklesimer his married spouse of 5 years. Reading anything he could put his hands on, kept his active mind happy with new adventures. John enjoyed playing flute with Desert Overture - Phoenix’s Premier LGTB and Ally Wind Symphony. While in Des Moines, John was an active member of Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC) and in Phoenix he joined the Church of the Beatitudes Progressive Christian Church. He attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, graduating with the Class of 1966. He served from 1972 to 1976 in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War Era. John earned his BA in 1970 from University of Iowa, Masters in 1981 from Drake, and his Ph.D. in 1999 from Iowa State. Cremation will take place with services being announced at a later date. Arrangements by Hansen Mortuary. Visit http://www.hansenmortuary.com for condolences.