Willie Arthur Tompkins, Sr. recently passed away and if ever there was a friend to the Mike Kelly Law Group, as well as me personally, it was my friend Willie. From the age of nine years old he was fascinated by the funeral home in his hometown of McCormick, SC. As soon as he graduated in 1973, he went to mortuary school and became a licensed embalmer/funeral director. He moved to Columbia and worked for 10 years for a local funeral home before deciding to open business along with Robert Bostick, Bostick-Tompkins Funeral Home in 1988. This funeral home went from being the new kid on the block to a dominant player in the Columbia funeral market. He has provided services to my family and at his homegoing service Friday a week ago, myself and several staff members were treated to a wonderful ceremony of celebration of his life. Willie was not only a successful businessman and entrepreneur he was also very philanthropic. Annually he was famous for his fruit baskets to seniors and supporting organizations that uplift at-risk youth. I had the privilege of watching when the Confederate flag was lowered for the final time on statehouse grounds along with Willie, alone in my office. Both he and I got a tear in our eye as we shared together this momentous moment in South Carolina history.

God truly blessed South Carolina through the life of Willie Arthur Tompkins, Sr. His legacy will live on with his funeral home, now under the leadership of his brother, Bishop David Tompkins, and their Business Manager, Troy Washington.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to walk shoulder to shoulder with Willie for many years. May you rest in peace.