
Auto service provider Romie Thompson, left, retires from Ron Tonkin Toyota after more than 30 years of doing a little bit of everything at the landmark east Portland car dealership. He poses with his colleague Josh Martin.
STAFF/2014
“I never imagined that I’d wind up working with the Tonkin family for more than 30 years,” said retiring Tonkin mechanic and jack-of-all-trades Romie Thompson. “It was really more like a family than a traditional work experience; they know how to take care of people.”
The November 2014 subject of the Memo’s occasional series about longtime employees in the area, “Mid-county Community Builders,” Thompson said his next big adventure begins roughly at the same point where his father first began exploring the world of speed: at the racetracks of Tennessee. There, the elder Thompson ran sprint cars on dirt tracks. By traveling to the country’s famous courses, the Thompsons are keeping the auto racing tradition alive and well. Coincidentally, Romie’s dad also worked for the Tonkins in the 1960s. Romie was a Tonkin man for more than three decades, with stints at both the Toyota and Chevrolet stores.
“I have fond memories of watching Ed Tonkin’s son Adam, who’s now about 33 years old, go from bringing us Taco Bell for breakfast to eventually becoming my boss,” said Romie.
The much-beloved Romie is leaving the relative safety and stability offered by the Tonkin family in order to see the world—with pit stops at Daytona Beach for Speedweek, Disneyland and Sturgis, S. D., which is famous for its annual motorcycle rally.
But before Thompson begins roaming across America for a year, he’s making sure his family is okay. Romie and his siblings, Mike and Angie, have been regularly checking on their mother, Betty, who lives in Lebanon, Ore. The siblings have just gotten Betty settled in at an assisted living community, and she seems to like it there just fine.
When his tour wraps up, Thompson plans to ease into a comfortable routine of salmon and bass fishing on the Oregon coast near Nehalem and in the high lakes of central Oregon, spending time with his children and two grandchildren and tending to his ranch outside Molalla, where he has horses and cattle. He plans to keep the ranch in the family for the foreseeable future. “One day I woke up and knew it was time to retire and spend more time with my own family. I’m forever grateful to all the mechanics, sales team members and the entire Tonkin family for their kindness and generosity over the years. And of course, all my great customers—I love them all.”
He said he’s been getting special visits from them as the word gets around. Thompson’s last day is set for Sept. 30.
Congratulations on your retirement Romie. You were my service advisor for 27 years, starting at the 82nd Ave location in the underground. Enjoy your retirement, trips and family. We will miss seeing you. Toyota will not be the same without you.
AND, he’s going to NASCAR @ Bristol this weekend! Congrats Rimie, the Portland Region loves you!