Tommy Applewhite (Plainview)

Tommy Applewhite, 89 of Hale Center passed away at home on December. 31, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 2:00pm Tuesday, January 3rd, at First Baptist Church in Cotton Center, Texas with Rev. Randy Land, pastor of First Baptist Church Carlsbad, NM and J.D. Templeton pastor of First Baptist Church Cotton Center officiating. Interment will follow in Center Plains Cemetery under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. Visitation for family and friends will be held on Monday, January 2, 2012 from 5 to 7p.m. at Kornerstone Funeral Directors. Tommy’s focus during his life was on God, family, community, and country. He attended high school at Hale Center and graduated in 1941. He served overseas in the U.S. Army during WWII in Africa and Italy. Upon returning from the service he coached boys and girls basketball at Cotton Center in 1946-47. Tommy married Mary Lou Barrington at her parents’ home in Cotton Center March 29th, 1951. He served as an active deacon of First Baptist Church Cotton Center for many years. He also served on the South Plains Telephone board for 45 years and was instrumental in getting telephone service to Cotton Center and other rural areas of West Texas. He also served on the board at Cotton Center Coop gin for many years and was an active member of Lions Club. Tommy was also influential in the American Ag movement in the 1970’s and later. He is survived by wife Mary Lou Applewhite of Hale Center, son Marc and wife Glenna of Lubbock, daughter Sheila and husband Morris of Georgetown, TX, son Morris and wife Iroma of Hale Center, and son Max and wife Melissa of Wylie, TX, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, and sister Jody Hyde. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruth Lowry and Dot Stone, and one granddaughter, Lauren, the daughter of Morris and Iroma. Family suggests memorials be made to First Baptist Church, Cotton Center or any charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.kornerstonefunerals.com