Tommy Raiford

Mr. Thomas Eugene Raiford, Jr. ("Tommy"), age 82, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2025, in Roswell, GA, following a brief illness. Tommy, or "T" as he was later called, was born in Rome, Georgia on August 31, 1943 to the late Thomas Eugene Raiford, Sr. and Esther Mae Dover Raiford. They subsequently moved to Tallapoosa, Georgia where Tommy attended Tallapoosa High School. He had fond memories of playing basketball and football there and serving as captain of the football team.

After graduating from high school in 1960, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served from 1960-1964. His time in the USAF took him to places like Juneau, Alaska, San Francisco, California, and Chateauroux, France. Upon completing his service, he returned to Tallapoosa and married Elaine Bowman, also of Tallapoosa, in 1965.

Tommy began work with the Georgia State Patrol in 1965, following in the footsteps of his Uncle Clyde Raiford. After being stationed in Atlanta, Manchester, and Calhoun, Tommy was assigned to Post 39 in Cuthbert, Georgia in 1972 and remained there until he retired in 1996, after working security for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cuthbert where he served as a Deacon and Sunday School teacher. In 2001, he and Elaine relocated to the Metro Atlanta area following the birth of their first grandchild.

Tommy was especially proud of his granddaughters, Allie and Carly, to whom he was fondly known as "Daddy T." He enjoyed fishing as a life-long hobby and loved teaching the girls how to fish at Lake Hartwell. An avid Georgia Bulldogs football fan and Duke University basketball fan, Tommy was always up to discuss the latest sports matchups. He had fond memories of traveling to places like Bar Harbor, Maine, and Maui, Hawaii with his family. A special highlight was a trip to Key West as he was a self-proclaimed Parrot Head, being a huge fan of Jimmy Buffet.

Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Nell Raiford Brown, as well as many beloved dogs over the years. We know he was especially excited to be reunited with his beloved long-haired dachshund, Buddy, as well as his granddog, Bella.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Elaine; his daughter Kellie Raiford Appel; son-in-law Evan Appel, granddaughters Allie and Carly; his sister Carol Raiford Rowell (Jimmy); and several nieces and nephews.

The family is holding a private service and burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tommy's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or to a charity of your choice.