Obituary of Thomas W. Graham

Thomas Wilbur Graham, Jr., passed away on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:55 PM at Oro Valley Hospital in Tucson, Arizona, from complications following a COVID-19 infection. He was born on Thursday, November 17, 1938 in Waynesboro, Mississippi, a son of the late Thomas Wilbur and Zattie Vermela (Hutto) Graham.

He was a graduate of Clara High School and the University of Southern Mississippi. His career as a safety engineer began in 1961 in Florida with Liberty Mutual, followed by employments in Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, and Missouri. He finally served as a safety consultant with Behavioral Science Technology within America and internationally while living in Arizona. His military career began at the same time as his civilian career. He joined the National Guard and soon entered the United States Army Reserves for the years 1961-1998. He earned the rank of lieutenant colonel. His sense of duty never retired, and he served in recent years as a volunteer with the Oro Valley Police Department.

He was an earnest evangelical Christian and longtime member of Desert Foothills Baptist Church.

All who knew him will agree that he never called attention to himself. His humble character and transparency were evident, and his devotion to Jesus led his children to want to follow in his spiritual footsteps. He could not speak of his Lord and Savior for long without tears of gratitude moistening his eyes.

He enjoyed life and dearly loved family. When he reminisced of growing up in Mississippi, he might have spoken of Sunday afternoon family walks to “rattlesnake ridge.” He loved holding babies, and he had many to hold over the years in children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed playing some sports such as football in junior college, softball on church leagues, and many years of golf; he also enjoyed watching televised sports, especially golf.

He enjoyed history, the military, and all aspects of God’s creation. For the last third of his life, this meant listening for coyotes, watching hummingbirds, and watching for the pygmy owl living in a nearby saguaro. His bookshelves became increasingly filled with Bible study tools over the years, and he valued opportunities to teach adult Bible study classes. Among his cherished memories were two trips to Israel with Vernone, numerous summer family camps with all who could come, and a couple of safari trips with family in South Africa.

He is survived by his devoted companion and wife of 59 years, Mary Vernone (Pitts) Graham; his two daughters, Janet E. Garrison of Watertown, WI, and Karen M. Clark of Whitestown, IN; one son, Eric T. Graham of Cape Town, South Africa; one brother, Wallace L. Graham of Tellico Plains, TN; one sister, Alice Faye Walker of Waynesboro, MS; eleven grandchildren, Jason and Jordan Garrison, and Jessica (Garrison) Moon, Kaitlyn (Clark) Hoover, Kasey Clark, Kailey (Clark) Spilger, and Kaleb Clark, Abigail, Hannah, Lydia, and Benjamin Graham; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 3, at Desert Foothills Baptist Church, 10655 N. Shannon Road, Tucson, with Pastor Dan Budgick officiating. A public viewing will take place before the service at 10:30 a.m. A military graveside service will follow at a later date at the Marana Veterans Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations are made to The Gideons International.