Thomas Gail Avery, resident of Hoover, Alabama, passed away April 21, 2018, at the age of 74. Tom was born in November, 1943, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and grew up in the neighboring town of Purvis. After joining the United States Navy, he lived in Pensacola, Florida and Lakehurst, New Jersey. Following his active duty in the Navy, he joined the Naval reserves and also began a long career with Bell Labs and then BellSouth. In 1975, he transferred to Birmingham, Alabama.
Tom was a graduate of the University of West Florida and obtained a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.
During his Navy career, Tom was a helicopter pilot and rose to the rank of Captain while in the reserves. He retired in 1992.
Tom is survived by his wife of 28 years, Karen Denise Avery; his eldest son Thomas Scott Avery and wife, Susan, and youngest son, Keith Alan Avery and his wife, April. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Craig, Kyle, Anna, and Ian and his sister, Cheryl White and her husband Byron of Purvis, Mississippi.
Family and friends are invited to the visitation at Southern Heritage Funeral Home from 11:00 to 12:30 on Friday, April 27, 2018. A graveside military honors service will follow at 1:15 p.m. at the Alabama National Military Cemetery located in Montevallo, Alabama.
If desired, donations may be made in Tom’s memory to Canine Companions for Independence which provides service dogs to wounded warriors and others with disabilities or the Shelby County Humane Society.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.southernheritagefunerals.com for the Avery family.
Memorials:
Canine Companions for Independence, 8150 Clarcona Ocoee Rd.
Orlando, FL 32818; www.cci.org; or
Shelby County Humane Society, 381 McDow Rd, Columbiana, AL 35051; shelbyhumane.org
Cemetery: Alabama National Cemetery: 3133 Highway 119, Montevallo, AL 35115.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18