Marie Antoinette Thompkins was a woman who loved life and lived it boldly.

Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1951, she grew up on the westside in a modest home made abundant by the love of her mother, Melba, her brothers, Willie and Vernon, and her cherished sister, Gloria. California was woven deeply into the fabric of her life. Its warmth, beauty, and free spirit lived within her, and she carried a piece of it everywhere she went.

She married for the first time and became a mother in the mid 1960s. Motherhood was the role she would cherish most.

In 1976, she met Terry, the love of her life, and together they welcomed two sons while building a home grounded in love and family. They married in 1992, and in the early 2000s, moved from California to Texas, where they began a new chapter together.

She studied nursing at Southwest College before building a career that included leadership roles in transportation management and hospital administration. Wherever she worked, Marie formed lasting friendships and created a sense of family among the many colleagues whose lives she touched. Marie was beautiful in every sense of the word, with a loving heart, a selfless nature, and a grace and elegance that radiated from within. She leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, beauty, and an extraordinary passion for life. That legacy lives on through her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends, with each soul carrying a piece of the joy and spirit that made her unforgettable. Her story does not end with her passing. It continues in every life she touched and every heart that carries her memory.

Her legacy of memories are left behind to be cherished by her husband of 34 years Terry Thompkins; (3) sons: Brian Smith, Terris Thompkins and Tiery Thompkins (Myia); (5) grandchildren: Emerson Thomkins, Amaya Thompkins, Tiffany Smith, Brian Smith Jr. and Brion Smith; (1) brother Vernon Johnson along with a host of other family and friends who will miss her dearly. Live boldly. Love deeply. And carry Marie’s beautiful spirit with you always.