Memorial services for Mr. Gordon David Tompkins, age 62 of Beckville, Texas, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Central Baptist Church in Carthage with Bro. Carl Anderson, David Tompkins, and Bro. Bob Scott officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Inurnment will follow in Youngblood Cemetery near Beckville. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Mr. Tompkins passed away on Wednesday morning, February 25, 2009 in Carthage.

Gordon David Tompkins was born on November 1, 1946 in Panola County, Texas to Claud and Ruth Sharp Tompkins. He graduated from Beckville High School with the class of 1965. Mr. Tompkins served in the United States Army and he was honorably discharged. He attended Panola College where he earned his associate's degree in 1977, while working for the Marshall Police Dept. Mr. Tompkins served as a DPS State Trooper for 27 years and 8 months, retiring in the summer of 2000. He received the Dept. of Public Safety Director's Citation in 1986. He was currently employed by Panola County. He was a member of the Beckville Masonic Lodge # 922, was the current president of the Beckville I.S.D. School Board, a member of the Fairplay Water Board, the Youngblood Cemetery Association, and a past member of the Panola County Appraisal District. Mr. Tompkins lived most of his life in the Beckville area, where he was a member and Deacon of Youngblood Freewill Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Everett Thomas Tompkins and Jerry Tompkins.

Mr. Tompkins is survived by his wife, Janis Nix Travis Tompkins of Beckville; two sons, David Tompkins of Carthage and Andrew Tompkins of Tyler; two daughters, Angel Teer of Pensacola, Florida and Ashlyn Tompkins of Tyler; two step-sons, Tommy Craig Travis and wife Kappy and Robert Jason Travis and wife Casey all of Beckville; one step-daughter, Angela Travis Stone and husband Scott of Beckville; one brother, Claud Tompkins, Jr. and wife Marie of Beckville; two sisters, Jeanette Ann Evans of Beckville and Regena Millsap and husband Robert of McKinney; two grandchildren, Scarlett Tompkins and Sylvia Teer; nine step-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild, Raelynn Evans.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are John Gradburg, Doug Cotton, David Cole, Lonnie Green, Dan Mosier, Jackie Harris, Glenn Darnell, Bryan Darnell, Claud Tompkins, Jr., Dale Downing, Karl Edgmon, and Jimmy Evans.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Gordon Tompkins Memorial for Hymnals for Local Nursing Homes, c/o First State Bank and Trust Co., 110 W. Panola, Carthage, TX 75633.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.