June 25, 1928 – Jan. 26, 2018

 

NATCHEZ — A celebration service for Tom Toles Jr., 89, of Natchez, who died at Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Natchez Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, will be noon Saturday at King Solomon Baptist Church with the Rev. Curtis Smith officiating.   

Burial will follow at Sunset View Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Bateaste Memorial Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time at the church.

Mr. Toles was born June 25, 1928, in Natchez, the son of Tom “Jack” Toles and Emma Lee Nolan Toles. He was married to the late Judge Mary Lee Davis Toles for 55 years until her death, Nov. 24, 2017. They resided in and loved the City of Natchez.

Tom received his primary education at Ms. Millie Carter’s Private School in Adams County. He graduated from Brumfield High School in 1946, where he played football with further studies at Natchez Junior College from 1946 to 1847.

Tom entered law enforcement in 1966, as a deputy sheriff under former sheriff Odell Anders. In 1968, he joined the City of Natchez Police Department, where he advanced to the rank of detective. He retired from the police department in 1993 as a dedicated law man who was known to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

As a child, he attended Greater Macedonia Baptist Church with his mother. In 1983, he joined King Solomon Baptist Church, where he became a loyal member until his failing health.

Tom loved being in the “outdoors” whether it was fishing, hunting, sitting on the porch or just hanging with friends and neighbors on Minor Street. Tom also served his community as a member of the Natchez Convention Board for a number of years. He was a lover of music, especially the blues. His favorite blues song was “Big Boss Man” by Jimmy Reed. He also loved the song, “In the Mist of It All” by Yolanda Adams.

Tom was preceded in death by his loving parents; two infant brothers, Tom Jr. and Willie; two daughters, Joyce Rose Brown and Lolita Toles Kendall; one son, Gregory A. Toles; one granddaughter, Pamela Minor; son-in-law, George Albert “Shake” Harden; and most recently his beloved and devoted wife, Mary Lee Davis Toles.

Survivors include three daughters, Deborah Toles Harden of Natchez, Shannon Toles Johnson and husband, Mack, of Raleigh, N.C., and Thomasina Toles Thornton of South Orange, N.J.; three sons, Tom Toles III and wife, Darlene, and Larry Singleton and wife, Rhonda, all of Natchez, and Paul Toles and wife, Trina, of Jackson; one sister, Pauline Toles Allen and husband, Charles, of Houston; 23 grandchildren, Ivana, Alyse, Leeana, Flora, Kira, Terry, Chantay, Tomekio, Gregory, Damian, Yolanda, Robert III, Kamiti, Nyanasanu, Bahati, Antonio, Michael, Danielle, Dionne, Latoya, Octavia, Lamarcus and Larry Jr.; three step-grandchildren, Tanita, Brandon and Jaydon; two brothers-in-law, James Bobby Davis of Vicksburg and William “Red” Davis of New Orleans; and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.