Dora Eveline (Miller) Tompkins (1909 - 1949)

Born 20 Jul 1909 in Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Wife of William Charles Tompkins — married 23 Jun 1928 in York, Ontario, Canada

Died 30 Dec 1949 at age 40 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Dora was born in 1909 in the Miller family home on Scrope Street in Owen Sound, Ontario. She was the daughter of Charles Reuben Miller and Armanella Augusta Brownscombe. Her mother died a year later after giving birth to Dora's brother Bill Miller. The children's grandmother Jane (Hardy) Miller moved in with her son Charlie to help, but she was 75. Baby Bill was moved to the home of Charlie's brother, Harry and his wife Maggie Russell. He grew up with them. Dora remained with her father and in May 1913 she had a new mother when widower Charlie married nurse Florence Prichard. Florence and Charlie had two children, Catherine and John, who became the half sister and brother of Dora. Florence died in 1926 and Charlie in 1928. Dora married William Charles Tompkins in June 1928 and had three children, Bill, now deceased, and two daughters, still living. Dora passed away in December 1949.

Obituary

The Sun Times, Owen Sound, Grey County, Ontario, 5 Jan 1950, page 5

FORMER RESIDENT DIES IN TORONTO

Many old friends in this city will be shocked to learn of the sudden death of Mrs. William C. Tompkins Sr. of Toronto. Deceased, who was the former Dora Evelyn Miller, was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Miller of this city and had resided here until her marriage two decades ago. She had been ill less than a week prior to her death, which occurred on Friday Dec. 30 in Western Hospital, Toronto. She was only 40. The late Mrs. Tompkins was educated at Ryerson School and the Collegiate Institute here and will be remembered by many residents.

The funeral was held on Tuesday from the Norman A. Craig Funeral Home to Prospect Cemetery, Toronto. Rev. Wesley Hunnisett officiated.

The late Mrs. Tompkins is survived by her husband, one son, William C. Tompkins Jr. with the Canadian Navy at Esquimalt, B.C.; two daughters, Beverly and Peggy, both at home; two brothers William Miller of Owen Sound and John of Montreal; and one sister, Catherine, Mrs. Robert H. Best, of Scituate, Mass.

Note: Esquimalt is beside Victoria, British Columbia and Dora's middle name was spelled Eveline.

Sources

• "Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9H-JRVQ : 16 July 2017), Dora Eveline Miller, 20 Jul 1909; citing Birth, Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 2,394,024.

• 1911 Census of Canada. This was a bad day for the census taker, first he wrote the family name as Mills, instead of Miller, then he wrote that the mother of Charles, grandmother of infant Dora, was called Jake, instead of Jane.

• 1921 Census of Canada. In this census Dora is listed as the daughter of Florence (Prichard) Miller. Technically Florence was her stepmother but the only mother Dora would have known.

• Ontario, Canada, Marriages 1801-1928, William Charles Tompkins, age 24, married 23 June 1928 in Toronto, Dora Evelyn Miller, 18

• Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980, Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario, 1949, 82 Lansdowne Ave, W.C. Tompkins, driver, E.J. Tomkins, retired, E.M. Tompkins, shipper, MRS. W.C. TOMPKINS (Dora, she died in Dec. 1949)

• Funeral card sent to me by Dora's granddaughter. Dora died Dec 30, 1949 Toronto, buried Jan. 3 1950, Prospect Cemetery, Toronto