Joan Tompkins, 87

March 14, 2019

Joan Tompkins, 87, formerly of Bradford and Girard, PA, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2019 at Country Meadows Retirement Community in Lancaster, PA. Born in Emporium on November 10, 1931, she was the daughter of Harold P. and Margaret (Bloom) Kronenwetter and wife of James R. Tompkins.

Joan was a proud graduate of Penn State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She often celebrated that she was a member of the “Famous 500,” the first freshmen class of women admitted to Penn State following World War II. After graduation, she worked as a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Bradford. Her passion for caring for children transferred to her own when she had her two daughters. She left teaching to raise her children and became involved in their activities such as basketball, going so far as to become the girls’ basketball commissioner. She and Jim were members of the Pennhills Club where they enjoyed playing golf. Joan also enjoyed playing bridge with the Thursday Club. She looked forward to spending winters in West Palm Beach, and loved being with her friends, her pet dogs, and her grandchildren, of whom she was incredibly proud.

Joan is survived by her daughters; Lisa Hoffmann and her husband, Art, of Lancaster, and Molly Bean and her husband, Tom, of Erie. She is also survived by four grandchildren; Amy Hoffmann and her husband Ed Steck, Andrew T. Bean, Holly Wicks and her husband Adam G., Katie Bean, and her sister Ruth Lathrop of Elverson. Joan is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband.

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.