Sue Tomlin

Sue Tomlin, age 88, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 31, 2025, while under hospice care.

Beverly Sue (Partridge) Tomlin was born on April 11, 1936, to Wayne and Berniece (Combs) Partridge. Her father worked as a park ranger, so the family’s living quarters were in State Parks. Ledges, Springbrook, and Lake Keomah were her playgrounds growing up. Sue graduated from Oskaloosa High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from William Penn College, where she met her future husband, Dick. Sue married Richard “Dick” Earl Tomlin at Central Methodist Church in Oskaloosa on June 1, 1958. To this union were born three sons - Richard Wayne, David Gene, and Jeffrey Allan.

They lived in Dawson, Iowa, and the Woden/Crystal Lake, Iowa area while Dick worked for their school districts. In 1966, the Tomlin family moved to Altoona, Iowa. Sue was a stay-at-home mother while her children were small. The family enjoyed many happy years living at the home on five acres where the family moved in 1972. They called the place “Tomlin’s Walnut Ridge Ranch”.

Once she reentered the workforce, Sue dedicated her career to teaching others as well. She was employed by Kemin Industries, where she used to get a ride to work on the back of her son, David’s motorcycle! She also worked for Wilson, and A. B. Dick in their computer departments. Her last place of employment before retirement was Methodist Hospital, also working on computers.

Sue was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and was honored with the title of Grand Ruth. She attended Altoona United Methodist Church, and later Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy. She loved to stay busy and had a wide network of friends. She would organize ladies to get together and garden, or to make crafts. She held to the idea that there is no such thing as “too many plants” and would hold her “pot parties” where her friends would all come together and repot their plants. She had an extensive greenhouse on the south side of her home that held her jungle of plants and was her retreat and happy place. She loved to build porcelain dolls and dress them in clothes she would make. She would also make many clothes for herself. She enjoyed any type of crafting. Sue was a cat lover and enjoyed bird watching. She was truly one of a kind and will be deeply missed.

Sue is survived by her sons, David Tomlin and Jeff Tomlin (Deb Dillman); grandsons, Ben (Taylor) Tomlin (and their daughter, Vinni) and Joe Tomlin; and a host of extended family and a wide circle of friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Dick Tomlin; son, Richard “Rick” Tomlin; parents, Wayne and Berniece Patridge; and her brother, Gene Partridge.

Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m., followed by funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Hamilton’s Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th Street SW, Altoona. The burial will take place at Rising Sun Cemetery after the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the family.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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