Home>
Obituaries>
Tomlinson
Eugene Bertram
Tomlinson, Jr. - Southport
Eugene
B. Tomlinson, Jr., of Southport, NC passed away
Saturday, February 23, 2013 at his home, surrounded by
his family and caregivers. Born October 19th, 1924, in
Fayetteville, NC, he graduated from Fayetteville High
School in 1941. Mr. Tomlinson attended Wake Forest
College for 1 year before being appointed to the US
Naval Academy from which he graduated in 1947 with a
degree in Civil Engineering.
Gene has always
loved the NC coast and he moved to Long Beach in 1952.
When Sunny Point Army Terminal opened in 1954, he began
a 27 year career for the Army Corp of Engineers and
moved with his family to Southport. After retirement
from Sunny Point, Gene worked at CP&L’s Brunswick
Nuclear Station for 5 years. From 1964 to 2000, he
co-owned Harbor View Antiques with his wife Leigh
Wallace Tomlinson, who passed away in 2006.
Believing strongly
in public service and giving back to his community, he
served as Mayor of Southport for 20 years between 1957
and 1983. Gene was very supportive of Dosher Memorial
Hospital and led its efforts to remain a township-owned
facility. He served more than 30 years on the Dosher
Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees as a member and as
its chairman. Gene also served on the Wilmington College
Board of Trustees from 1958 to 1969 when it became the
University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Preservation of
the coastal areas of North Carolina was of special
importance to Gene and in 1977, he was appointed to the
NC Coastal Resources Commission. He served as Chairman
of the CRC from 1993 until his resignation in 2005. He
was the CRC’s longest serving member. In recognition of
his public service Gene was awarded the Order of the
Long Leaf Pine by North Carolina.
Gene was an AKC
registered dog show judge and he and his wife raised
champion Bassett Hounds. From childhood, he loved the
circus and was a lifelong member of the Circus Fans of
America Association.
Gene’s faith was
the core of his life; he served as a deacon and Sunday
School Superintendent for Southport Baptist Church and
helped to found their mission on Oak Island which is now
the First Baptist Church of Oak Island.
Gene was a very
loving father and is survived by his children and their
families: Sallie and her husband, Wrightson Jackson of
Anderson, SC; Eugene III and his wife Shelley of
Paraparaumu, New Zealand; Mary of Southport, NC; Watson
and his wife Anne of Mt. Holly, NC, and David of Tybee
Island, GA. He has 11 grandchildren: Wrightson Jackson
IV, Hannah, Kaely, Eugene IV, Grace, Elizabeth, Ray,
Camie, Alexis, and Justin Tomlinson, and Ashleigh
Edwards. He has 2 great grandsons; Waike Jackson and
Kade Edwards.
The family would like to express its appreciation to
Renee Creech, LPN and Care Manager for three years and
to Pat Lunsford, In-home-aid, of Coastal Companion Care
who attended to Gene’s needs for the past six years.
Visitation is scheduled for Sunday evening from 7 to 9
pm at Southport Baptist Church’s CMC Building. The
funeral will be Monday at 2:00pm in the church’s main
sanctuary, preceded by a short visitation at 1:00pm in
the CMC Building. A private burial will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: The
Crossnore School, 100 DAR Dr., Crossnore, NC 28616 or to
the Loaves and Fishes Program, 200 N. Howe St.,
Southport Baptist Church, Southport, NC 28461.
Peacock-Newnam
& White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport
