Velma Lee Tomlinson “Tomi”, 81, of Raleigh, NC went to be with the lord on March 26, 2023. She was born in Washington, D.C. on October 27, 1941, daughter of the late Charles and Alice Tomlinson.

Tomi graduated from Suitland High School in Maryland in 1959. After graduation she attended George Washington University for one year studying Business Administration. She started working for the U.S. Federal Government in the Peace Corps. She then continued her career as an administrative assistant for U.S. Congressmen Charles Vanik and Wayne Hayes in the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill.

In 1971 her parents returned to the family homestead in Clayton, NC. After remarrying in 1975, she too moved to North Carolina eventually settling in Greensboro. She continued working for the government at Housing and Urban Development. In 1980 she opened Scoops, an ice cream shop, in downtown Greensboro. In 1981 she expanded the business by taking ownership of the Southeastern Soda Shop in the same building.

Tomi always dreamed of living at the beach. Following her divorce and selling her business in 1984 she moved to North Myrtle Beach, SC living oceanfront for most of the seven years she was there.

In 1991, Tomi moved back to Raleigh and resumed her career with the government with the Social Security Hearings and Appeals until her retirement in 2002.

Tomi was preceded in death by her parents, brother Charles David “Dave” Tomlinson of Selma, NC and George Randall “Randy” Tomlinson of Clayton, NC.

She is survived by her daughter Jill Youngblood Warren and her husband Phil of Wake Forest, her youngest brother Barry Phillip Tomlinson and his wife Joyce of Snow Camp, NC and several cousins in NC and VA.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, April 21, 2023, in the small chapel of Trinity Baptist Church, 4815 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615, with a reception to follow in the parlor.

Please make any charitable donations to the Wake County SPCA or your local animal rescue organization.