Thomas Stokes Seay

Thomas Stokes Seay, our beloved Papa, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, November 13, 2013. Tom will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind, generous Southern gentleman who loved his Savior, his family, and his country.

Born in Goochland County, Virginia on January 4, 1922. Tom joined the Army Air Corps at 17 and served his country during World War II. He was a B-17 pilot and was shot down over Germany. Tom spent 18 months in a German prisoner of war camp. He was a hero in the greatest sense of the word. At the end of the war, he returned to the states and graduated from the University of Virginia. He married Mary “Tee” Seay on June 19, 1948 and they shared 64 wonderful, blessed years together.

Tom spent over 30 years in Knoxville, TN and raised his family there. He had a wonderful, successful, and respected career with Sears in upper management. After his retirement from Sears, he and his wife, Tee, moved to Chattanooga to be close to their grandchildren. He was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church of Hixson. Papa was a man of God and church was a major focus of his life.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Mary “Tee”, his daughter, Kathy, his parents, Ernest and Mary Seay and his siblings Kate, Lucy and Frazier.

Papa is survived by his daughter, Bette and her husband, Hank, Chattanooga. He was grandfather to Thomas Boles, Chattanooga, Andrew Boles and his wife Valerie, Sevierville TN, Haley Williams and her husband, Tim, Mantua, NJ, Hannah Perry and her husband Shane, Greenville, SC. He was great grandfather to Emmy, Addy, Lucy, and Levi Williams, Mantua, NJ, and Brayden Boles, Sevierville, TN. Words cannot express how loved and cherished Papa was by his family.

Papa spent the last eighteen months of his life at Clare Bridge Memory Care Facility in Cleveland, TN, and the family appreciates the kind care he was given, but he was blessed to have private caregivers from Amara Home Care. The family is thankful for each and every caregiver. Special thanks and gratitude to Patricia, Joanie, Lydia, and Cora for compassionately caring for Papa and, more importantly, for loving him.

The family will receive friends 6-8 pm on Monday, November 18 at Chattanooga Funeral Home-North Chapel and 11 am until the time of service on Tuesday, November 19.

The funeral service will be conducted at 12 noon on Tuesday, November 19 in the funeral home chapel with

Tim Williams, Papa’s grandson-in-law officiating. Assisting Tim in the service will be Shane Perry, also Papa’s grandson-in-law and Darreyl Duggar and Brady Wood, pastors at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church

Interment to follow at Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors

Memorial donations can be made in Tom’s name to Alzheimer’s Association, 7625 Hamilton Park Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37421 or to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 7634 Gann Road, Hixson, TN 37343

Arrangements are by the Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist, North Chapel, Highway 153, Hixson, Tennessee 37343. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaNorthChapel.com