Tommie Brown Nagle

Tommie Lorene Brown Nagle, loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, just 24 days before her 103rd birthday. She was born July 21, 1922, to Tom and Mollie Brown in Prentiss County, Mississippi.

Tommie grew up on a farm with her three siblings, where she helped with gardening, canning and other farm chores. After finishing grammar school at Hill’s Chapel, she attended high school in the nearby town of Booneville. There she played basketball on their girl’s high school team. Following graduation in 1941, she moved to Memphis where she worked to support the war efforts. Although she wasn’t an official member of the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ organization, she performed the same job, placing rivets on B-25 planes. She met her future husband, Carl, during those years and they married soon after he came home from his service in the Air Force. Their wedding took place February 3, 1946, at her sister’s home in Booneville. Carl’s career led them from Mississippi to Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and then in 1958 they moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where she lived the remainder of her life. During those years Tommie and Carl were blessed to raise three children.

Tommie was active in Huntsville’s Hospitality community group, which allowed many of the newcomers from the NASA community to meet and from that she gained lasting friendships. She played in several bridge clubs where she was known for her sharp playing skills. She was a lifelong member of University Baptist Church. In addition, she worked for many years at Loveman’s of Alabama retail store, where her encouraging personality and compassion were appreciated by so many loyal customers.

In addition to playing bridge, she enjoyed cooking and visiting with family. For many years she would visit her bridge friends, bringing flowers to them in the hospital, where she became known as the Sunshine Lady. She was an incredibly warm, loving, and caring person with a positive outlook on life and a sharp, witty sense of humor. Her glass was always full with an eternal can-do attitude.

Tommie was preceded in death by her father and mother, husband Carl, her sister Mauvelene West, and brothers Odell Brown and Weiland Brown. She is survived by her children David Nagle, Judy Price (Bud), and Sara Coley (John); grandchildren Kristy Price Bryan (Matthew), Kimberly Price Dyar (Paul), Lee Price (Maria), Andrew Coley (Rachel), Bryan Coley (Harmony), and Patrick Nagle; great-grandchildren Anna Dyar Beard (Joey), Wesley Dyar (Mackinley), Eli Dyar, Jaden Dyar, Leah Price, Zena Price, Cole Bryan, Christian Bryan, Miriam Coley, Micah Coley, Michael Moon Coley, Stone Moon Coley, and Lexi Kingery.

During the last few years, she was blessed to have several ladies assist her and provide excellent care from Visiting Angels, along with her long-term caregiver, Hayley Evans.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Valhalla Funeral Home, 698 Winchester Road, Huntsville, Alabama at 2:00 pm with visitation preceding at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to Caring Hearts Ministry of Church on the Hill (formerly University Baptist), the American Heart Association, or a charity of your choice.