Elmer Fayette Tompkins

Elmer Fayette Tompkins, a dedicated journalist, lover of animals, and a firearms enthusiast, passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026. He was 79.

Fayette, as he was known, was born Elmer Fayette Tompkins, in Homer, Louisiana. He graduated in 1964 from Homer High School and went on to LSU, here he majored in Journalism, and was an active member of the Reveille staff. He worked for the State-Times and its successor newspaper, the States Times Morning Advocate.

He was an enthusiastic reporter, but due to hearing loss, he shifted to work as an editor. In the years prior to retirement, he worked on the newspaper’s editorial page. He was a grammar guru and took pride in making certain that every subject agreed with a verb, and every pronoun agreed with a noun.

Fayette, a lifelong bachelor kept in touch with his friends from his Reveille days. After retirement, he instituted the Dinosaur Lunches for other newspaper retirees. He lovingly cared or his pets-adopted dogs and stray cats. With a keen interest in guns, he enjoyed his time on the shooting range.

Fayette was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer Tompkins and Genevieve Torbet Tompkins. He is survived by cousin, Pamela Torbet Smith and husband Timothy E. Smith; cousin, Shannon Penix and husband Greg Penix; cousin, Scott Simpson and wife Alice Simpson; cousin, Ashley Turley Teague and husband, Kevin Teague.

Special thanks are due to his good friends Anne Legett, Linda Lightfoot, and Bob Morgan for their unwavering assistance to Fayette, especially during the last few years of his life.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 11:00 am at Arlington Cemetery, in Homer, Louisiana.

For those interested in honoring Fayette with a memorial donation, they may consider the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication.

Rose-Neath Funeral Home

Homer Chapel (318) 927-6110