The Dimmick Memorial Library has launched a new book collection honoring Rose Pompa, a lifelong Jim Thorpe resident who passed away in May 2023.

The Rose Pompa Collection debuted on the library’s shelves Jan. 19 with 30 books and will continue to grow as additional titles are selected.

“The Rose Pompa Collection is intended to honor and celebrate the life and loves of Rose Pompa,” said Kara Edmonds, Dimmick library director. “Her sons spoke about her tremendous love and pride in her family.”

The collection reflects Pompa’s personal reading preferences — romance novels, thrillers and historical fiction — while also honoring her devotion to family. Books for children and titles celebrating family will be included alongside genres she enjoyed.

Readers can find books in the collection by searching for Pompa’s name in the library’s online catalog. Each book will feature a special bookplate. Those wishing to contribute can mark donations with Rose Pompa’s name.

The collection came together through an outpouring of community support following Pompa’s death. Her sons requested that, in lieu of flowers, people honor their mother by sending donations to the library. The library received about $1,300 from individual donations.

“We started to get a flood of donations saying something about Rose, but we received some notes saying how much she loved the library, how much she enjoyed living in Jim Thorpe in this small town, and was such a family person,” Edmonds said.

Edmonds and Pompa’s sons met to discuss how best to honor her memory. The idea for a book collection emerged from those conversations. Unlike memorial plaques on furniture that can become overlooked over time, books remain visible and accessible to patrons.

“Everybody sees the books,” Edmonds said. “They check things out, they go through them.”

The library director said she worked closely with Pompa’s sons to determine which types of books to include in the collection.

“It’s almost like, would Rose have enjoyed reading this for her grandkids? Would she have enjoyed reading it? Would she be interested in this new author that’s coming out that is similar to things that she liked before?” Edmonds said. “I almost have an image in my mind of who she is, even though I didn’t know her in life.”

The collection will grow organically over time, with individual book purchases typically ranging from $15 to $30, Edmonds said. Because many donors contributed between $20 and $50, the collection can continue to expand as additional donations come in.

Getting to know Rose

Rose Parry Pompa was born in Mauch Chunk in 1933 and spent her formative years in the upper West Broadway section of town. She grew up alongside her two sisters, Barbara (“Babs”) and Marilyn (“Skippy”), and her brother, Edmund.

She graduated from Mauch Chunk High School in 1951. Her yearbook described her as a popular, intelligent and beautiful young woman, eager for the future. She served as a commencement speaker and was president of the Student Council.

After high school, Pompa worked as an operator for Bell Telephone Company until she left to become a housewife. She married Bob Pompa in 1956 and raised four sons — Jim (“Trooper”), Scott, Rob (“Reg”) and Tony — largely on her own after her husband left. In 1965, she moved her family to 89 Center Ave., where she would live until her death.

“Despite all the curve balls thrown her way she held it together, nurtured, comforted, supported her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,” said Scott Pompa, one of Rose’s sons. “Truly an amazing woman whom I was blessed to call, ‘Mom.’”

Without a driver’s license, Pompa walked throughout town to work and shop, often with her four sons in tow. She worked at Kathy Ann Sportswear until the garment shop closed in the 1980s, then held positions with the county, The Inn at Jim Thorpe and even spent summers parking cars at Pocono Raceway to support her family.

Despite the difficulties of raising her children alone and ongoing financial challenges, Pompa created a loving and unified home, Scott said. She never complained and always promoted love and togetherness, building an environment centered on family values.

“She taught us to never find the bad in an individual but to always find the good in people and life,” Scott said. “I never heard her say a bad thing about anyone.”

Library holds special meaning for family

The Dimmick Memorial Library, Scott said, held special meaning for Pompa throughout her life. She frequently spoke about the library’s importance and ensured each of her four sons had a membership card, continuing the tradition with her six grandchildren.

“She often spoke about how important the library was to her, inspiring her children to view the Dimmick as a central part of their own lives, especially in their pre-teen and adolescent years,” Scott said. “For her family, the library often felt like an extension of their home — a safe, quiet place, full of valuable resources.”

Scott recalled visiting the library with his mother, eventually going on his own and learning the Dewey Decimal System. He remembers when the library added music to its collection in the early 1970s, borrowing albums by bands like Jefferson Airplane and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Her passion for reading remained constant through the years. As she grew older, Pompa was committed to keeping her mind sharp through reading and crossword puzzles.

“I can still see my Mom in her chair breezing through a book a day,” Scott said.

She was diagnosed with brain cancer in March 2023 and died May 23, 2023.

Scott said his mother would be deeply honored by the collection bearing her name.

“Such a tribute would be the highest recognition of her memory,” he said. “Though she was a humble person who would not have sought recognition, she would have wholeheartedly encouraged the community to take advantage of this treasured resource.”

The family hopes the collection will inspire others to read and take full advantage of what the library has to offer.

“Knowledge is powerful — the more you read, the more you learn, and the more your mind grows,” Scott said. “This is what Rose would want everyone to experience and explore.”