J. Thomas Holton

Jerry Thomas Holton, 84, of Mountain Brook passed away on Monday, March 6, 2017. He was born in Middletown, Ohio on June 7, 1932. Tom received his Civil Engineering degree from Princeton University in 1954. He attended Officer Candidate School, served in the Naval Civil Engineering Corp. for 10 years, including the Reserve, and retired as Lt. Commander. He attended Harvard Business School and came to Birmingham in 1958 and began his working career with Sherman Concrete Pipe. The company grew over the years under his leadership as Chairman to become Sherman International Corp. Tom was an active member on many boards of state and national trade groups. He served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the boards of Robins & Morton Group and Stockham Valve and Fittings, Trustee of Covenant College and Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, as well as charitable organizations — Boy Scouts of America and Salvation Army. Tom enjoyed his participation in Christian Union, Kiwanis Club, Monday Morning Quarterback Club and the Country Club of Birmingham. He was a member of Briarwood Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder for many years.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Walton Holton and Helen Elizabeth Fagaly Holton, and his son-in-law, Cody Fowler Davis.

Tom is survived by his wife of 58 years, Annie Lou Dearborn Holton and his children, Beth Holton Davis, Luanne Holton Sanders (Joey), Ruth Holton Spencer (Hank), Catherine Holton, Jerry Thomas Holton, Jr., 11 grandchildren: Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes, Holton Bell, Mary Patton Davis, Caroline Davis, Cody Davis, Cardwell Spencer, Anne Heaton Sanders, Dailey Martin, Mary Catherine Martin, Beatrice Spencer, John Martin and 2 great grandchildren: Lorraine Hughes and Tamsyn Hughes.

The family offers a special thank you for their loving care to Doretha Sampson, Coretta Sampson, Jimmica Douglas, Shelia Williams and LeShond Sampson.

There will be a family graveside service prior to a memorial service at Briarwood Presbyterian Church sanctuary on Thursday, March 9 at 2pm, visitation to follow in the foyer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, P.O. Box 320309, Birmingham, AL 35232 or The Salvation Army, 2100-11th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35234.