Mr. Pete Griggs Tatum

Pete is survived by his parents Dr. David A. Tatum, Jr. and Stephanie Hight Tatum as well as his brother McMichen Tatum; his grandmother Deborah Leonard Hight; his uncles Matthew and Joe Tatum and their children; his aunt Lori Hight Tyson and uncle Austin Hight and their children.

Pete is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents David Sr. and Rita Barfield Tatum and his maternal grandfather Richard Hight.

Pete joined the Georgia Army National Guard while he was still a student at Harrison High School. After training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, SPC Tatum served as a combat engineer in the 810th Engineer Company in Swainsboro, GA.

Pete lived the Army Engineers’ motto “Essayons--Let us try!” If he needed a tool he didn’t have, he would make it. If he wanted a structure that wasn’t around, he would build it. Pete loved power tools and engine oil, firearms and fishing rods.

Whether it was his stereo, his side pipes, or his daddy’s voice, if it wasn’t loud, he wasn’t listening. In fact, he identified most with Mount Westmore and Snoop Dogg: “Big subwoofer in the back, like what's up. Blow the windows out the frame, it's a party when I pull up.” When Pete’s truck pulled up, the whole neighborhood knew he was home.

On the outside, his 6’2,” 210 lb. frame may have intimidated some, but inside, his generous heart warmed those he held close. Pete proudly bore the title “Mama’s Boy” and would kick anyone’s ass who said anything about it. That juxtaposition showed in his favorite Five Finger Death Punch lyrics: “Arms wide open, I stand alone. I'm no hero, and I'm not made of stone. Right or wrong, I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of Heaven and the righteous side of Hell.”

When he wasn’t tinkering on his vehicle, listening to heavy metal, or fishing in the lake, Pete enjoyed the comradery he found with his Harrison Hoya football teammates, his fellow soldiers in the 810th, and his coworkers at Everest Spirits.

May he find the comfort of rich laughter and deep love in the afterlife.

Visitation will be held at Woodstock Funeral Home, Inc., 8855 Main Street, Woodstock, GA 30188, US, on March 18, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.