Thomas Reece Kirkman

THOMASVILLE Thomas "Tommy" Kirkman, 66, of Jamestown and lifelong resident of Thomasville, passed away on September 15, 2016 after battling a chronic disease. He was the son of John "June" Kirkman and Margaret Proctor Kirkman, who preceded him in death. His father-in-law, James "Jim" Widdows, preceded him in death as well.Thomas is survived by his wife of 38 years, Pamela; daughter Brooke and her husband, Craig; and granddaughters Madison & MacKenzie; and his sister, Judy Kirkman of Greensboro; mother-in-law, Marian Widdows; his sister-in-law, Ann Widdows; nephew, Lee Jones and his wife, Melissa; great-niece Reilly and great-nephew Hendrix; cousin, Pat Jefferson (Don); cousin, Scott Proctor (Marian); and many extended family members.Thomas enlisted in the Army and served honorably and with distinction during Vietnam. He was a highly decorated staff sergeant. Thomas went on to give back to the community by being a professor at Bennett College for Women, where he greatly enjoyed his work by inspiring his students. He loved being a teacher and he loved his students. Thomas was a loving and dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed a very active lifestyle, and his favorite pasttimes were spending time at the beach and riding his beloved motorcycle. Thomas will be sorely missed by his family and loved ones. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 2:00 PM at J.C. Green and Sons Funeral Home in Thomasville, with Rev. Keith Carroll officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make all donations to K-9 4 Warriors - an organization that provides service dogs to disabled veterans. This was a cause he cared deeply about. He always wanted to make sure veterans could get the services they need. The address is K-9 4 Warriors, 114 Camp K9 Road, Ponte Vedra, FL 32081. He also requested any other donations go to UNC - Chapel Hill Liver Center @ 130 Mason Farm Road Bioinformatics Building CB# 7080, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7080. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.jcgreenandsons.com.