Beloved Eliot Dining Hall Checker Dies

Maria Tompkins, whose energetic presence for 12 years in the Eliot and Kirkland House dining halls made her many friends among students and colleagues, died of cancer Thursday. She was 42.

Tompkins came from a family of Harvard dining services employees—her mother is a cook at the Cronkhite Dining Hall and her brother was a longtime manager at the Quad Dining Halls.

In addition to her work as a morning checker at the dining hall, Tompkins was devoted to her five children, ages six to 18, and her volunteer job with the Special Olympics.

“Some people just really stick in your mind. She was always so perky and so full of life and had such a positive attitude and a smile on her face. That’s just who she was,” said Judith R. Della Barba, director of human resources at dining services.

As Tompkins’ job brought her to the dining hall early in the morning, she grew particularly close to members of the swim team who came in a group of around 80 students to eat in Eliot House each morning, Della Barba said.

Following Tompkins’ death, her coworkers set up a collection box outside the checkers desk in the Eliot House dining hall to raise money for her family.

Assistant to the Master of Eliot House, Susan G. Weltman, sent a house-wide e-mail urging students to give additional assistance to the Tompkins family.

“She was one of the most memorable people on the staff. Her face and her personality, very energetic and perky,” said Eliot House resident Jeffery E. Heck ’03. “I am definitely going to help out.”

Tompkins will be remembered for the “great alliances” she built with students, Della Barba said.

“Our folks develop relationships with the students that they will remember for the rest of their lives,” she said.

Her coworkers said they will miss Tompkins’ positive attitude.

“She was a very personable person, excellent and joyful to work with,” said Greg J. Lee, an assistant cook at the Culinary Support Group.

“She was always upbeat and a pleasure to talk to. She just lit up the place,” Della Barba said.

After she found out that she had cancer in January, Tompkins returned to Eliot House four or five time to visit her coworkers, said Ed Salerno, the manager of the Eliot and Kirkland House dining halls.

When she made her last visit in May, Tompkins said she hoped to return to work this September.

“She had a family at home but she had a family here too,” Della Barba said.