Harry Ethridge Tomlinson

Graveside service for Harry Ethridge Tomlinson is 1 p.m. Monday at Laurel Hill Cemetery. He was born in Madison, Fla., on Oct. 11, 1916. The second son of Carlie Daniel Tomlinson and Ruby Pafford Tomlinson, he grew up in Madison and graduated from Madison High School. He then became a student at Stetson University in Deland, Fla., where he met his future wife, Cornelia Louisa Mires. They were married in Deland on Oct. 12, 1940. He then went into business with his father in Leon County, Fla., and remained there until 1947, when he purchased the Bar M Ranch in southeast Thomas County. He operated it until 1960 when he and his family moved to Thomasville, where he engaged in home construction in Thomas and Colquitt counties. He developed the Moultrie Club View subdivision and established the construction company, Metal Buildings Inc., and operated it until his retirement. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Thomasville for more than 50 years, where he served on many boards and committees including the administrative board, church restoration committee, Thomasville District Trustee, South Georgia Conference delegate, and the Sue McTier Sunday School Class. Mr. Tomlinson was a member of Kiwanis Club, Thomasville Entertainment Foundation, Thomasville Cultural Center, Thomasville Landmarks and Thomas County Historical Society. During his retirement years Mr. Tomlinson enjoyed his home, his church, and playing tennis and fishing. His wife of 68 years, Cornelia Mires Tomlinson, died in July of this year. Mr. Tomlinson died at home on Nov. 8, 2008. Survivors include his sons, Harry Mires Tomlinson and wife Mary of Thomasville and Carl Martin Tomlinson of Tallahassee, Fla.; daughters, Ashley Tomlinson Jones of Thomasville, Leisa Tomlinson Zoller and husband Jeffrey of Winchester, Va., and Dorian Tomlinson Blackmon and husband John of Thomasville; grandchildren, Harry Mires Tomlinson Jr. and wife Shannon of Jupiter, Fla., Barbara Tomlinson of Tallahassee, Griffin Jones of Chicago, Ill., Laura Zoller Rieck and husband J. T. of Houston, Texas, Kari Zoller of Portland, Ore.; great-grandchildren, Kate Tomlinson, Brenna Tomlinson, Kara Tomlinson of Jupiter, Fla., and Bryce Rieck of Houston, Texas; step-grandchildren, Scott Reece of Tallahassee, Beverly Reece Gray and husband Arthur of Hoboken, N.J., Elizabeth Blackmon of Birmingham, Ala., and John Blackmon II of Thomasville; step great-grandchildren, Reagan Blackmon and Emily Blackmon; brother, William Tomlinson and wife Carolyn of Stone Mountain; and, many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers, John Pafford Tomlinson and Charles Daniel Tomlinson, both of Madison, Fla. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 975, Thomasville, GA 31799 or Hospice of Southwest Georgia, 818 Gordon Ave., Thomasville, GA 31792. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at the funeral home. Visitors may sign the online guest register at www.allenfh.com. — Allen and Allen Funeral Home