Martha Bond Tompkins, 91, of Jefferson, Maine, died on October 2, 2017 in Newcastle. She was the daughter of Willis A. and Ruth Hodgkins Bond, both of Jefferson and was born on August 2, 1926 in the home of her Bond ancestors, early settlers of the Town of Jefferson.

Martha attended the Jefferson Village School through 8th grade, and then attended Cony High School in Augusta, graduating in the class of 1944. She graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a BA in physics in 1948. The same year she started employment at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, working as a physicist in the rocket section, a forerunner of NASA.

In 1952 she married Robert D. Tompkins, an electrical engineer at NRL. They lived in Chile for 18 months while Bob was employed as an engineer for Bethlehem Chile Iron Mines. On their return to the United States with young daughter, Ann, they returned to Washington, DC where Bob was again employed at NRL.

On Bob’s retirement in 1981, they retired to Jefferson and built a home on the original Bond property overlooking Damariscotta Lake. Here many happy years were spent, with family and friends, gardens, church and community work, and research into town and family history.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jefferson for 78 years, was a life member of the Jefferson Historical Society and secretary of the Bond Burying Ground Association for many years.

She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years and is survived by 2 daughters, Ann Liburt of Jefferson and Marilyn Tompkins of Jackman, 3 sons, Steven Tompkins of Glenn Dale, MD, Andrew Tompkins of Leesburg, VA and Richard Tompkins of Plano, TX, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter, three sisters, Kathryn Maryan of Ocala, Fl, Emily Kaune of Nederland, CO, and Beverly Blair of Cape Elizabeth, ME and several cousins and nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 6, 2017 at the First Baptist Church of Jefferson at 11:00 a.m., Pastor Bette Bond officiating. Interment will be held at the Bond Burying Ground, Jefferson, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Martha’s name to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 921, Jefferson, Maine 04348.

Hall’s of Waldoboro has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit www.hallfuneralhomes.com.