Greenville Rotary awards scholarships to five GCS graduates

GREENVILLE – Hilde M. Tompkins, 89, passed away peacefully early Monday, May 30, 2022, at her residence. 

Born in Brooklyn on February 9, 1933, she was the only child of the late Anna and Karl Zittel. In 1947, the family left city life and moved up north, drawn by the view of the mountains. Shortly thereafter they moved into Greenville and took root. 

Hilde attended Greenville Central School, then onward to Albany Business College, where she graduated with Honors. She worked for attorney Joseph Malone Jr. in Greenville before and after attending college. 

Hilde married Reuben Tompkins in 1953 and together they raised four children, Deborah C., Reuben K. and Karl L. Tompkins, and Marie B. (Tompkins) Hardin of the Kanine Cottage Pet Resort, all of Greenville. She also has two grandsons, Daniel Hardin, a teacher in Texas, and Kenneth Hardin, of Greenville. Her husband predeceased her on March 15, 1997.

Hilde is best known for her many successful endeavors. For 19 years she served as secretary/treasurer for the former Greenville Area Association of Commerce. During that time, she organized and produced the entertainment program for the annual Old Timers Christmas parties. She also helped organize and ran the two Miss G.A.A.C. Beauty Pageants held at the former Schmollinger’s Pleasant View Lodge in the 1970s, where she was also employed for 19 years as waitress-hostess and then office clerk. In between hours, she also worked for the former Ruth Chiamese Realty.

Hilde was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church in Greenville, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister, was a charter member and held office several times in the Rosary Altar Society, organized and enjoyed working nickel socials and other functions.  She is known for her baked goods and volunteer work in general. 

Hilde has always enjoyed working, and was always ready, willing and able to help when needed. She enjoyed cooking and baking for her family and friends, and was always willing to share a good recipe, the most popular request being pumpkin bread. Her hobbies included writing letters to far-away friends, visiting with local friends to play card and board games, recycling used greeting cards, completing picture puzzles, and enjoying old movies.

Cremation has taken place privately. Relatives and friends were invited to attend her Memorial Mass on Friday, June 3, at 10 a.m. in St. John the Baptist Church, 4987 State Route 81, Greenville. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Greenville Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 332, Greenville, NY 12083, will be appreciated. Condolence page is available at ajcunninghamfh.com.