Thomas Jefferson Hails

Thomas Jefferson Hails, 94, died May 18th, 2025, at 1:40 PM in St. Petersburg, FL.
Tom was born February 19th, 1931, in Birmingham to parents Mary Everline O'Dowd Hails and Thomas J Hails Sr. His childhood was spent in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and as an adult in Atlanta, Cocoa, FL, and Panama City, FL.
He inherited a love of construction from his Engineering Father, and until he sold his construction company in 1987, he had built, developed, and designed hundreds of commercial structures in the Southeast. Hails, Construction Company, Hail's Real Estate Company, The Hails Companies were some of the more important companies.
He started sailing at 12 in Melbourne, FL. and owned a number of sailboats, racing in regattas in the Southeast. and to Mexico. In 1983 he began a 47,000-mile, 91/2-year circumnavigation on his beloved ketch PRINCESS, visiting about 32 countries. Many friends and kin crewed, with the most important being his Last Mate, Pitty Pat, who became Tom's beloved wife in 2001. Pat passed away in 2006.
Seven times he sailed in the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club annual race to Isla de Mujeres, Mexico, and did well there. A frequent visitor to Costa Rica, he enjoyed Spanish-speaking countries.
In 1993 after completing their circumnavigation, Pat and Tom founded Lock Masters USA, a national distributor of security products, which thrives today in Panama City.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Jones; brothers, Bill Hails and George Hails; first wife, Ernestine Johnson; second wife, Jean Isabelle; and beloved wife, Pitty Pat Hails. He is survived by his longtime girlfriend, Judy Pettit of Saint Petersburg; brother, Robert (Bob) Hails (Barbara) of Olney, MD; beloved daughters, Joy Seymour (Jack), Debbie Weaver (Wayne), Tammy Hails, and Karen Hubbert (Mike); son, Greg Hails (Betty); granddaughters, Melissa (Steven), Rebecca (Josh), Marcy (John), Meagan (Matt), and Emily (Tommy); grandsons, Brian (Kristina), and Justin (Laynie); as well as many great-grandchildren and many loving nieces, nephews., cousins, in-laws (a few outlaws), and many close friends.
Tom was a long-time member of Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1001 Fortune Avenue Panama City, FL. The family will receive friends at Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home on June 2, 2025, from 6 PM to 8:00 PM. Funeral Mass will be held on June 3, 2025, at 12 noon at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Father Glen Baptiste will celebrate the Mass.
At a later date, the ashes of Pat and Tom will be combined and taken to the Gulf of Mexico and deposited within the ocean water, which they loved.
In lieu of flowers, Tom has asked that donations be made to either of his two favorite charities; Food for the Poor (Feeding children in over 22 countries). The address is 6401 Lyons Rd. Coconut Creek, FL 33073 or to Friends of the Diocese of Montego Bay (they build cottages up in the mountains of Montego Bay for poor moms who have children in Jamaica). Their address is P.O Box 1665 Wildwood, FL 34785.
To share memories or condolences. E-mail. tompath@comcast.net