Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-01-29
Mrs. C..H. Tompkins,
Lady Engineer in
Building Firm, Dies

Mrs. Charles H. .Tompkins,
wife and partner of the founder
of the Charles H. Tompkins Co.,
one of the country's largest en-
cheering and construction firms,
died yesterday at George Wash
ington University Hospital.
Widely known as the lady
engineer" Mrs. Tompkins had
worked for the company since
it was established here in 1910.
AS an engineer. inspector and
personnel executive she partici-
pated in the firms rise to promi-
nence.
Last summer, the company,
which has built scores Of WASH
ington landmarks, completed the
new courthouse on Constitution
avenue-its most recent large
project.
Born in Fauquier.
Mrs. Tompkins, whose maiden
name was also Tompkins-she
was Miss Ida r. Tompkins-
was born on her fathers farm in
Fauquier County, Va. The land
has been in the TompkinS name
for 1875 years.
Both she and her husband
were graduated in 1902 from the
old Central High School. They
first met in the schools black
smith shop, studied technical
subjects together and were mar
ried in 1906.
Before her marriage. however,
Mrs. Tompkins graduated from
Wilson Teachers College and
studied architecture at George
Washington University. She
taught briefly in District schools.
Part of their honeymoon was
spent in an Ohio railroad camp.
where Mrs. Tompkins first learn
ed to use the engineers tee
square, triangle and transit.
Their first big job was the
Dalecarlia filtration plant. BY
that time Mrs. Tompkins was
able to schedule the pouring of
concrete and expertlv superviSe
its stress"
Erected Large Buildings.
AS the firm grew, it built a
number Of the Capitals largest
buildings. These include the
Tower Building, the National
Guard Armory, Garfinckel's De-
partment Store, the World War
I Red Cross Memorial and the
Scottish Rite Temple.
When, in later years, she and
her husband had competently
executed a large number of
Government and private con-
tracts to become one of the
country's pre-eminent husband
and-wife business teams, Mr..
Tompkins often referred to his
wife as "the most able office and
personnel executive I have ever
known, man or woman"
At the beginning of World War
II, the organization was finish
ing a $40 million job at Fort Bel
voir for the defense expansion
program. Mrs. 'Tompkins was in
charge of Office management and
personnel.
She materially aided, too, when
the company built the Balm
bridge Naval Training Station,
organizing the facilities to house
and feed construction personnel.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Tompkins had
become a leading hostess here
and reared four children-two
boys and two girls.
Her home, at 3055 White
haven street NV, became a
gathering place for many dis
tinguished groups in professional,
political and social life.
In addition, Mrs. Tompkins
maintained their summer home,
"Blighty," at Gloucester Point,
Mass, and she once managed
Spring HILL" her fathers 1,100-
acre estate near Warrenton, Va.
Battery Terrill," a former resi-
dence in Northwest Washington,
is now the Peruvian Embassy.
Held Two Offices in Firm.
At the time of her death, she
was senior vice president and
treasurer Of the Tompkins' COM
pany, which was incorporated in
1922.
She was a member of the