Thomas McLeod

Thomas Edmond McLeod, of Birmingham, Alabama, passed away on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at the age of 94. He is the ninth child of eleven born in his family to parents Henry George and Edna Red McLeod. He was raised on a 200-acre farm in a beautiful, rural community in Mississippi called Harmony. 

Thomas attended the University of Alabama from 1948-1952, where he received his degree in accounting. While at Alabama, he joined the ROTC program. Upon his graduation, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Army. 

While at Alabama, Thomas also met his wife of 66 years, Norra Dean Dickey. He would often say, “The best part of going to Tuscaloosa, by far, was meeting the love of my life.” Thomas and Dean were married at Parker Memorial Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama on October 12, 1952. His Army commission required him to serve for two years, and so the young couple started their married life at an apartment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After several months at Fort Bragg, he received orders to serve overseas in Korea. He was there for about a year and upon his discharge, began to pursue a career in accounting. 

Several moves and several years later, he and Dean were the proud parents of four sons: Thomas (Tommy) Jr., Jeff, Phil, and Bruce. He had accepted a teaching position at a fledgling night school in the fall of 1957. Over the years, the school grew to become a college and then to a university around 1970, which was named The University of Alabama at Birmingham now known as UAB. 

Thomas, who as a youth had given his heart to the Lord, was ordained as a deacon at Green Acres Baptist Church, in Birmingham in 1962. He served evangelically through the years as a deacon at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, and after his retirement in 1987, at his childhood church, Harmony Baptist Church in Mississippi. He and Dean moved back to the Birmingham area in 1997, and they then joined Indian Springs Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. 

On the farm where he grew up, Thomas and his brothers were all adept at plowing the fields behind a mule, and swimming in the Souenlovie Creek which was a half mile behind their house down a narrow path in the woods. His carpentry, mechanic, and handyman skills were legendary. Thomas’ wit, wisdom, and inimitable sense of humor endeared him to all who knew him. Above all of his many gifts, he loved to gather family together. Never needing or wanting the spotlight, he wanted everyone to grow closer together through the time spent sharing experiences, stories, laughter, memories, and food. Let us not forget about the food- barbecue, fried catfish, fresh corn, field peas, pies, cakes, and homemade ice cream. His love for the Lord was visible in his daily life as nothing was more important to him than loving well his family and friends. He thoroughly enjoyed the game of golf, which he played well into his eighties, mostly walking eighteen holes for the exercise. 

How do you put 94 years of life into a few words? You can’t do it. There are too many stories, too many lives impacted over too many years to begin to do it justice. May we all carry on his legacy of love and service as examples upon which to pattern our own lives. 

In addition to his four sons, Thomas is survived by his sixteen grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren with 2 more great-grandchildren on the way. 

God bless you all.