Dr. Dennis Andrew Tomlinson

Dennis Andrew "Andy" Tomlinson passed away December 22 in Tulsa. He was 73. Andy was born in Boise City, Oklahoma, October 2, 1951, to William Orville Tomlinson and Wilmath Eleanor Tomlinson, both educators. The family lived in Tuttle and Noble before moving to Holdenville, where Andy graduated from high school. Andy was a quiet, introspective, serious man who avoided attention and spoke rarely about himself or his interests. His choices in life spoke for him. Andy attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was drawn to psychology, history and education, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. His first job as an educator was teaching high school history. His next work at the Tulsa Boys Home began to shape part of his future as he became interested in working with at-risk children. Andy pursued a master's degree in Special Education at Oklahoma State University and began to work with children with emotional disturbance and incarcerated adolescents. He later brought two of his interests together when he obtained a Ph.D. in School Psychology at OSU. Andy spent the next 20 years as a psychologist for Ponca City Public Schools and Union Public Schools. Andy also developed and thoroughly enjoyed a private practice with adults with developmental disabilities. Throughout his life, Andy pursued knowledge by extensive reading, especially history. Early on, he focused on American and Oklahoma history and the complicated development of school integration and civil rights. He believed strongly that all people, regardless of social or economic class, educational and intellectual status or race should be treated with dignity. Upon retirement from his work as a psychologist, he applied these beliefs full-time to the study of writing and history, working with the Tulsa City-County Library to access obscure books from all over the country to deepen his understanding. Andy wrote three historical novels, all based in Oklahoma, about school integration and the complex relationship between the oil industry and Oklahoma's Indian people. Before his illness, he published one novel, Burning House, about integration. Andy also enjoyed lighter pursuits, particularly OU football, the Kansas City Chiefs, gardening, weather and his dogs. He is survived by Susan, his wife of 42 years; younger brother, Dallas Tomlinson, of Tulsa, and many family members. He is predeceased by his parents, Bill and Wilmath Tomlinson. Services will be December 30 at 10 a.m., at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, followed by graveside services at Calvary Cemetery and lunch in the family center. Please make memorial donations to the Tulsa City-County Library.

Dr. Dennis Andrew Tomlinson

October 2, 1951 - December 22, 2024