Thomas Edward “Tommy” Mercer, 81, of Albany passed away Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his family. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 21, 2023, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with the Rev. Chris Hall officiating. Mr. Mercer will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Tifton, Georgia.
Born January 1, 1942, in Zolfo Springs, Florida, Mr. Mercer was welcomed as the First Baby of the New Year. He was a fourth generation Floridian, a grandson of the late Samuel Mercer and Adna Bates Mercer and first son of the late TL and Margarite Faye Lewis Mercer. Both his paternal and maternal families were pioneer settlers of Florida.
Growing up, Mr. Mercer, known as “Tommy”, lived a genuine cowboy lifestyle working alongside his father, grandfather and brothers on the family’s cattle ranch in Gardner Florida. He was active in FFA and graduated as Salutatorian from Desoto County High School in Arcadia, Florida. He was a class favorite and looked forward to attending every class reunion through the years whereby he maintained lifelong connections with these special friends. A notable theme in his life was not only developing genuine friendships everywhere he went but maintaining those friendships.
Tom Mercer was known for his colorful common-sense sayings and friendly personality. He never met a stranger, loved to tease, and always enjoyed a gathering. He especially enjoyed “cutting a rug” if he could find someone to dance with him.
After High School, Tom moved to Tifton, Georgia to attend ABAC. It was during his time Tifton that he met his future bride of 60 years, Margaret Goff Mercer. He moved on to Athens to attend UGA where he earned degrees in Animal Husbandry and Economics. He was also a member of Alpha gamma Rho fraternity and an avid GA Bulldogs football fan.
Tom and Margaret married in 1963 and lived in Macon, Georgia where he worked for Borden dairies before transferring to Albany with Borden. He was an active member of the Albany Jaycees and especially enjoyed creating the stage props for the annual Miss Albany pageants. He enjoyed “doodling”, wood carving and appreciated folk arts, hand-made crafts, yard work and teaching pioneer life skills. Though he preferred a simple blue-collar style of work, he was an entrepreneur with several business ventures who excelled in biology, chemistry and mathematics and was known for his uncanny abilities to diagnose ailments, prescribe effective natural remedies, and perform complex mathematical equations in his head. He also had an attraction to animals of all kinds and cared for pet dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, and even an opossum, raccoon, skunk, and blind baby deer. He even had a pet goat he named “Lambchop” that rode around in his truck with him like a pet dog.
Mr. Mercer was an entrepreneur who owned rental property and operated several businesses in the Albany area. He was the owner/operator of Mercer Equipment Company, a land clearing and grading operation. He was also a principal partner and operator of Sasser Lumber Company and owner of Mercer Housing Dealership and Tire Services of Georgia.
Tom is remembered for his eagerness to respond to friends in need and was often the first to show up with chain saws, heavy equipment, and tools to “get the job done”. He pulled many a young buck’s 4- wheel-drive out of the mud, late at night, with his heavy-duty pickups and chains.
Mr. Mercer was a member of Byne Memorial Baptist Church and through the years attended Sherwood Baptist and Mercedes Baptist churches. He lived a strong example of Christian principles and shared his faith in Jesus Christ with others in his daily interactions.
Mr. Mercer loved to work outside. He had a green thumb and loved growing things and working in his yard with his wife. Picking up pecans was one of many of his hobbies.
He retired due to the onset of dementia which he endured for several years with the loving support of his family and special caregivers. He was blessed to retain his fun personality and was a pleasure to care for.
Mr. Mercer is survived by his wife, Margaret Goff Mercer of Albany; one son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Adam and Jennifer Mercer of Blue Ridge; two daughters and sons-in-law, Marjorie and Craig Womack of Chula and Kamy and Michael Lawson of Albany; two brothers, Pat Mercer and Richard Mercer, both of Arcadia, Florida; one sister and brother-in-law, Kay and William Wise of Arcadia, Florida; nine grandchildren, Andrew Peterson and his wife Hannah, Taylor Peterson, Caleb Peterson, Connor Lawson, Davis Lawson, Sam Mercer, Thomas Mercer II, James Mercer and Jackson Mercer; and one great- grandson, William Peterson.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 21, 2023, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service.
Mr. Mercer’s grandsons will serve as pallbearers.