Obituary of Tommie Spurlock

Mr. Tom Junior "Tommie" Spurlock, a resident of Ozark, passed away Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at his home. He was 93 years old. Funeral services for Mr. Spurlock will be 11:00 A.M. Monday, January 29, 2024, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Tom Skeen and Reverend Bill Messer officiating. Interment will follow in Mabson Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Monday from 9:30 A.M. until service time. Mr. Spurlock was born June 7, 1930 in Dale County, Alabama to the late John Thomas Spurlock and Ora Elvina Heath Spurlock. He was a lifelong resident of Dale County where he graduated from High School in 1950 and entered the military soon after where he served in the Korean War. Upon returning home and marrying his wife of 64 years, Margaret Barfield Spurlock, he worked at Barkett's on the square in Ozark. He worked in Production Control at DynCorp (Ft. Rucker, Alabama) from September 1955 and until his retirement in October 1994. He began the job he loved most of all in 1999 at Holman Funeral Home. If the doors were open, he was standing there to greet you. He was honored with numerous service and volunteer awards throughout his life. He loved to volunteer at the Courthouse, for the Ozark-Dale County Welcome Station, and he served as District Commander of the VFW for the Seventh District of Alabama for over 50 years. He was awarded Outstanding Citizen of Ozark-Dale County and The State of Alabama by Governor George C. Wallace, but he was most proud of being named Man of the Year in Ozark. His love of Sacred Harp Music is known by all, and he was able to attend his last "singing" on January 13 of this year at the Carroll Church. Other than the "First Sunday in May" at Mabson, the "singings" at the Carroll Church were his pride and joy. Over the past few years, the Restoration and Preservation of the Pleasant Grove Primitive Baptist Church has been his passion. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years whom he met at a Sacred Harp Singing, Margaret Barfield Spurlock; four sisters, Eva Mae Monk, Estelle Tharpe, Anna Willis and Betty Jo Etheredge; six brothers, John Morgan Spurlock, Malcolm Spurlock, William Spurlock, Lunie Spurlock, Robert Spurlock and Paul Spurlock. He is survived by one daughter, Dilly Ward of Tuscaloosa; one son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Tonya Spurlock of Mabson; four grandchildren, Ben Ward (Olivia) of Mobile, Jessica Pritchett of Dothan, Mason Spurlock (Haley) of Mobile, Maddie Spurlock Faircloth (Evan) of Ozark; six great grandchildren, Lilah Grace Pritchett, Lainey Brooke Pritchett, Pate Pritchett, Harper Ellis Ward, Felix McKay Ward and Wyatt Faircloth; a special family friend who was thought of like a son, Stanley Smith; and a special nephew, Harvey Monk. Several nieces and nephews also survive. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Gentiva Hospice for their loving care. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Mabson Cemetery Fund, C/O Mr. Harvey Monk, 2256 County Road 33, Ozark, Alabama 36360; or to Pleasant Grove Primitive Baptist Church (Carroll Church), C/O Mr. Stanley Smith, 355 Eufaula Street, Ozark, Alabama 36360.