Tommy Gene Malin

Rev. Tommy Gene ("Tom") Malin, age 74, of Winterville, NC, passed away at the Greenville Hospice House on Wednesday, May 7. Tom went to be with his Lord and Savior at 12:36 a.m. after a long battle with cancer. The funeral service will be conducted in the chapel of Wilkerson Funeral Home on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., officiated by Reverends Dr. John Hill and Dr. David Hines. Visitation with the family will follow the service at 5:00 p.m.
Tom, a native of Flint, Michigan, was born on October 11, 1950, as the oldest son of the late Thomas Eugene Malin and the late Eva Louise McMillan Malin. He graduated from Ainsworth High School in Flint and was the Senior Class President and an All-American Athlete of the Class of 1968.
Tom valued education and thoroughly enjoyed sports. He began his college education at the University of Michigan and became a punter for their football team and remained an avid fan of the Wolverines all his life. He continued his education by transferring to Oakland City University in Indiana, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies in 1973. He then moved to North Carolina to attend the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, where he completed his next degree in 1977 with a Master of Divinity. He later continued his education by obtaining a degree in Accounting at the Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, NC, in 1997.
Prior to entering the ministry full–time, Tom worked in business administration and financial management for more than 20 years. He was ordained into the Central Conference of the Original Free Will Baptists in May of 2011. During his years of ministry, he proudly served the congregational families of Daniels Chapel, First Free Will of Greenville, Gum Swamp Church, and Reedy Branch Church before retiring in 2024. During this time he also served as the treasurer of the Central Conference for ten years, and was a board member of the Free Will Baptist Press Foundation.
Tom was a loving man and spiritual leader, who had a servant's heart always concerned for others. The warmth of his smile and personality brought joy to others' hearts. As a pastor, Tom was always concerned for the salvation of others and was committed to serving the Lord by spreading the Gospel. His will to fight and positive disposition was an inspiration and encouragement to others even to the end.
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his brother, Daniel Paul ("Danny") Malin and brother-in-law, Randy Gibson. He is survived by his loving wife, Cathy Strickland Malin; daughter, Sarah M. McDade (husband, Eric) of Carolina Beach; step-daughter, Katie L. Denton (husband, Adam) of Greenville; grandsons, Damien and Grady McDade; and granddaughter, Lilly Denton. He is also survived by two sisters Patricia Vernon (husband, Dave) and Marti Malin-Gibson, as well as several loving nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be made in his memory to Gum Swamp OFWB Church (2072 Gum Swamp Church Road, Greenville, NC, 27834) or to a Christian ministry of your choice.