Thomas Albert Willingham III

Dr. Thomas Albert Willingham III, age 83, died March 2, 2026, following a short illness. Tom was a longtime resident of Punta Gorda, Florida. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, December 27, 1942, the son of Thomas Albert Willingham, Jr., and Eleanor Cauthen Willingham.

At a young age, Tom was captivated by science and had his own laboratory over the family garage that he shared with his brother, Mark. Together they studied and experimented with electronics, ham radio, chemistry, biology, and music (piano). A gifted student, Tom entered the College of Charleston at 15 and earned his M.D. at the Medical College of South Carolina at 23. After completing his Residency in Psychiatry, he served two years in the US Navy. After several years on staff at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tom entered private practice in psychiatry in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1993, he has practiced in Port Charlotte, Florida, and was seeing patients the day before he fell ill.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Janet Mock Willingham; brother, Dr. Mark Willingham of State Road, North Carolina; sister, Ellen Thompson Willingham of Summerville, South Carolina. Other key helpers and survivors are sister-in-law, Annie Mock Chan of Cambridge, Massachusetts; brother-in-law, Tom Mock, Jr., of San Carlos, California; niece, Ashley Mock Dotson of Asheville, North Carolina. Many others in Tom and Janet’s families survive him and deeply mourn the loss of Tom Willingham. He also leaves behind his devoted cats.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Good Shepherd in Punta Gorda on March 21, 2026, beginning at 11:00 AM. Burial will be private.

Please consider donations to IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) in honor of Tom’s reverence for animals. https://give.ifaw.org/page/ThomasAWillingham