Thomas Sills Jr.

Thomas Denver Sills, Jr. passed away on August 21, 2014. Mr. Sills was born in Oma, Mississippi on March 12, 1928 to Thomas Denver Sills, Sr. and Alma Pauline Little Sills. He lived in Jackson, Mississippi for 62 years before relocating to Clinton, Mississippi. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday First Baptist Church, Clinton, Mississippi. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00-7:00 PM at Lakewood Funeral Home, Jackson and 9:00 AM Saturday at First Baptist Church, Clinton. Burial will be in Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson, Mississippi with color guard rites from the City of Jackson Fire Department. After graduating from Central High School in Jackson, Mississippi in 1948, Mr. Sills worked with his father in the family business, Sills and Sons’ Floor Service. He was considered a ‘jack-of-all-trades,’ mastering carpentry and floor covering skills. His career path utilized these skills in his employment with the Jackson Public School System’s Maintenance Carpentry Division and McRae’s Department Stores. However, his most beloved employment was with the City of Jackson Fire Department. He retired after 20 years of service at the rank of Lieutenant. He served in the Firefighters’ Combat Division for 12 years where he drove a pumper truck and 8 years in Communications as a dispatcher. There he gained many life-long friendships and bonds of brotherly love. Mr. Sills served 8 years in the United States Marine Reserve in Jackson Company C. 7th, 105 M.M. Howitzer Battalion, during and after the Korean Conflict. His unit was recognized for their high performance and precision accuracy while firing in competitions with other Marine Artillery Batteries. T. D. was a member of First Baptist Church of Clinton where he was a past President of the Spell/McPhail Sunday School class and a member of the social committee, Forever Young. Previously, he was a member of Crestwood Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi for 40 years, where he was active in Brotherhood, involved in many activities, serving as Sunday School Superintendent, Youth Director of Training Union, and an ordained deacon. There, he met and married Mary Virginia “Ginny” Mahaffey and to this union three children were born. T. D. was preceded in death by his parents, T. D. Sills, Sr. and Alma Pauline Sills, brothers Milford Langston Sills, Billy Joe Sills, and Richard Jerry Sills. T. D. is survived by his wife of 18 years, June Rumfelt Sills, children Connye Green, Dr. David Sills (Mary), and Paige Gousset (Bobby), grandchildren, Tamara Green Kendrick, Chris Green (Akilah), Christopher Sills (Carol), Molly Sills Patterson (Daniel), Ryan Gousset, and Parker Gousset, as well as seven great-grandchildren, Morgan, Meagan, Christopher, Jr., Abraham, Anna Beth, Mary Elle, and Emma. He is also survived by his siblings, Peggy Araiza (Bill), Charles Glenn Sills (Bonnie), Janelle Fortenberry (Jim), and Jane Raffield (Larry), 21 nieces and nephews, and several great nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Clinton, 100 East College Street, Clinton, Mississippi 39056.