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Thomas Fredrick Smallwood

April 2, 2020

 

Thomas Fredrick Smallwood, 95, of Bainbridge, GA, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2020.

Due to the ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, a private celebration of life service will be held Saturday, July 18, 2020 at “The Old Smallwood Farm” in Attapulgus, GA.

Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com.

Thomas Fredrick Smallwood was born January 23, 1925 in Attapulgus, GA, the son of Henry Hoyt Smallwood and Eula Means Smallwood.  He graduated from Attapulgus High School and attended Ga. Tech before entering the army during WW II.  He served in the Battle of the Bulge and was lost behind the German Lines for 3 days and presumed dead. He also participated in the liberation of Paris, France.

He met the love of his life, Janie Little, while visiting family in Alabama. They were married for 72 years.  He was a loving and devoted father to his children and 8 nieces and nephews.

He loved his hometown of Attapulgus. He was a lifelong member of the Attapulgus United Methodist Church serving in many positions over the years. He also served as Trustee of the Attapulgus Cemetery for many years. He was one of the original members of the Attapulgus Kiwanis Club and instrumental in building the Attapulgus swimming pool. He never learned to swim but wanted his children and the children of Attapulgus to have the opportunity to learn to swim. He went on to serve in the Bainbridge Kiwanis Club for many years. He was very interested in genealogy and an active member of the Historical Society.

After retiring from tobacco farming, he continued to work at Fowlstown Mill, ITT, and Pillsbury. He later returned to college and completed his AA in Business from Bainbridge College.  After Janie retired, they began traveling all over the United States, Europe, and Australia.

Survivors include his children, Sue Smallwood Cooper (Carl) & Betty Smallwood Hotchkiss (Mike); his grandchildren, Clayton Cooper(Amanda), Karen Neal(Heath), Rachel Litland (Spencer), Marissa Smallwood, Thomas Fredrick Smallwood III(Trey); his eight great-grandchildren; and his nieces and nephews,  Jean Noble, Bobbie Stock (Lonnie), Ann Wilder (Perry), Sylvia Smallwood, Joe Smallwood (Natalie), Patsy Hauser(Larry), Bill Smallwood (Chisyl), and Debra Malone. In addition to his parents, Thomas was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Janie Smallwood; his siblings, William Alton Smallwood, James Francis Smallwood, and Hoyt Jackson Smallwood; his son, Thomas “Tommy” Fredrick Smallwood, Jr.; his nephew, Hoyt Smallwood; and his sister-in-law, Frances Crawley Smallwood.