Obituaries

At just 36 years old, Joshua Michael Tomlin, beloved son of Michael W. and Marilyn B. Tomlin and loving brother of Sarah J. Tomlin-Heap passed away unexpectedly and much too soon in his home in Newport on March 3, 2025. Joshua suffered from and was battling several illnesses throughout his adult life. This anguishing loss has left a precious empty space in his parents’ hearts.

Joshua was born in Ft. Knox Ireland Army Hospital to his then Active Army Duty mother Marilyn B. Tomlin and his then Active Army Duty father Michael W. Tomlin on October 30, 1988. He was an electrician by trade, enjoyed working as an electrician and was proud of this achievement in his life. He was also active in Karate and Kung Fu training. Joshua was recently taking up coin collecting having admired his father’s coin collection and aspiring to learn more about it. Since childhood, Joshua played various musical instruments. Joshua started with the saxophone in elementary grades, worked his way up to the bassoon in High School, added the guitar in his personal time and learned the harmonica as well. He never stopped learning and never stopped playing musical instruments.

Joshua graduated High School, earned 2 music scholarships for the bassoon and took enough college classes to accumulate 170 credit hours in the accounting and music fields before deciding to go to electrician’s school. His condition made it impossible to finish traditional higher education. Joshua did not let the circumstances of his health get in the way of enjoying life to the fullest. He did not sit around and sulk. He went out every day, was friendly to everyone he met, and said hi to strangers. He was incredibly sweet. Joshua went rock climbing, boating in lakes, oceans and rivers, white water river rafting, hiked National Parks across the country, went camping, went fishing, fed the petting zoo animals, fed the Vegas slots, went to several of the best amusements parks in the country, including Universal and Disney, thoroughly enjoyed Fantasy Fest in Key West, thoroughly enjoyed the Big Apple, and so, so, so much more. A motto that describes Joshua perfectly and should be adopted by everyone: Don’t just hope. Be, do and live in the moment!