Leonard R. Tompos

Leonard R. Tompos, aged 89, died 10th of February 2025, at his home in Elyria, OH. 

Mr. Tompos retired from 1997 after teaching Sociology for 29 years at Lorain County Community College. Before coming to LCCC, he had taught for 3 years at Muskingum College [now University] in New Concord, OH.

Born at home in Lorain in 1935, earlier in his career paths he had followed his childhood goal of becoming a news reporter photographer, beginning with working as a staff reporter on the bi­weekly Lorain High School High Standard newspaper. He was then appointed Editor of that publication for his senior year, and the paper won several state-wide awards during his tenure as editor. While a high school student, Mr. Tompos also worked as a stock­boy at a then downtown Lorain dime-store, and then as an usher and candy-counter salesman at the downtown Tivoli movie theater.

After high school, Mr. Tompos attended Kent State University where he majored in news journalism and photography with minors in Sociology and History. During various breaks in his academic studies, he worked for the Ohio State Highway Department, first as a laborer and later as a dump-truck driver/crew leader. At other times he was employed at the Lorain steel plant, as a payroll accountant for an inter-state construction company, and as a weekend special-assignment photographer for the Lorain Journal. For his KSU senior journalism internship, the Lorain Journal appointed him editor of its then newly purchased Erie County Reporter, a local weekly newspaper in Huron, Ohio. 

After graduation from KSU, Mr. Tompos was hired by the Defiance [OH] Crescent News, a six-day/week newspaper, as a reporter photographer. After working there for a year, Mr. Tompos was hired by the Akron [OH] Beacon Journal as a featured columnist specializing in the food industry news. After three years with the Beacon-Journal, Mr. Tompos began full-time Sociology studies at KSU where he had been awarded a graduate assistantship. After receiving his master’s degree from KSU, Mr. Tompos completed three years of doctoral level medical sociology classes funded by a federal grant at North Carolina State University at Chapel Hill. 

It was then that he was offered a faculty position at Muskingum College which led to his being recruited three years later to the faculty of the recently formed local college in Elyria, OH. 

Mr. Tompos is survived by two sons. Michael [Pamela] in St. Paul. MN; Gregory [Catherine] and grandchildren, Benson and Lenci. in Tasmania, Australia; nieces Cathy Szatala-Cuffari [Ross] of Lorain and Karen Tompos-NiMeman [David] of Cincinnati; nephews Donald Tompos [Tess] of Bend.OR; Ken Tompos [Karen] of Cincinnati; and Douglas of Los Angeles. CA. 

Mr. Tompos was proceeded in death by his parents, Joseph and Helen Tompos of Lorain; sisters Evelyn [John] Szatala of Lorain, and Geraldine [Alfred] Strauss of Elyria; a brother Donald 

[Margaret] of many locales; and nephew Darryl Szatala of Parma, OH. 

As per Mr. Tompos' planning, cremation will be followed by a burial in Lake Erie off the coast of Cleveland. Condolences and special memories of Mr. Tompos can be shared online at www.heritagecremationsociety.com