Thomas Clifton Gardner

(December 2, 1948 – March 10, 2026)

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Seminary Baptist Church in Seminary for Thomas Clifton Gardner, 77 of Seminary, who passed away on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the Asbury Hospice House in Hattiesburg.

Dr. Timothy Hubbard and Reverend Charles Brady will officiate at the services with interment to follow in the Calhoun Baptist Church Cemetery in Laurel withy military rites at graveside.  Special music will be provided by Mrs. Melanie Hubbard, Dr. Timothy Hubbard, Mr. Bill Rogers, and Dr. Jesse Smith.  Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Collins will be in charge of the arrangements.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Seminary Baptist Church, 220 East Main Street, Seminary, Mississippi, 39479.

Pallbearers will be Brad Brady, Jonathan Brady, Eric Sumrall, Derrick Sumrall, Danny Sumrall, and Josh Hembree.  Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Covington County Gideons.

Tom proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was a member and deacon of Seminary Baptist Church. Tom loved serving the Lord in the Gideon ministry for twenty plus years. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge #397 of Hattiesburg and the American Legion #61 of Sumrall. Tom loved God, his country, and his family. He was a husband, father, grandfather, and friend to all who knew him, and he will be dearly missed.

He was preceded by his parents, Clifton O'Conner Gardner and Ella Ree Bynum Gardner; and two brothers, Benny Gardner and Jeffrey Gardner.

Survivors include his wife of forty-eight years, Fredna Sumrall Gardner of Seminary; two sons, Graham Gardner, and his wife, Lauren, and Nathan Gardner, and his wife, Erica, all of Ellisville; one brother, Harry Gardner, and his wife, Deborah of Laurel; one sister, Janey Graves, and her husband, Avery "Skeeter" Graves,  III, of Louisiana; three grandchildren, Rylee Gardner, Smith Gardner, and Grant Gardner; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other family members.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Seminary Baptist Church, P.O. Box 81, Seminary, Mississippi, 39479.

Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at www.billymkingcolonialchapel.com