Tommy Scearce

Mr. Thomas Richard Scearce, “Tommy,” 88, of Fulton, Kentucky, passed away on January 7, 2024, at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Scearce was born in Cayce, Kentucky, on November 24, 1935, to the late Mamie Asbell and Willie A. Scearce. He is survived by a son, Barry (Cindy) Scearce of Franklin, Tennessee; a daughter, Dena (April) Benson-Scearce of Nashville, Tennessee; three grandchildren, Jack Scearce of Franklin, Tennessee, Alex Scearce of Orono, Maine, and Hudson Benson-Scearce of Nashville, Tennessee.

Mr. Scearce, a veteran of the US Army, was honorably discharged after serving in Korea during the conflict there. 

In December 1951, he married the love of his life, Anita Gail Dedmon. He worked for Prudential Insurance and sold policies to friends and community members for years in the Fulton area. He was also an entrepreneur with a wide variety of business interests. He owned and operated the Derby Motel, operated a restaurant in town , and invented and patented a consumer product, in addition to a variety of other business pursuits. 

Outside of work, he was a volunteer coach, a basketball announcer for a local radio station, and a golfer. He coached scores of young men through Little League and Pony League.During his younger years, Mr. Scearce played basketball and baseball. He remained an avid fan of sports into his last days. He loved Kentucky basketball, Braves, Cubs, and Cardinals baseball, and was a devoted fan of the Fulton Railroaders.

Mr. Scearce was a lover of life. He enjoyed talking to people, getting to know them, and sharing the things he had learned. His sense of humor and his playfulness were always on display, even during some of his most challenging moments. In his later years, he drove patients to medical appointments and extended compassion and comfort to those in need through his work with the Fulton Transit.

He cared for his wife, Gail, through her declining health and was a constant source of comfort to her. 

He had great affection for his hometown of Cayce and Cayce Baptist Church, for Fulton and the people living there, and for his children and grandchildren. He was also very fond of his Buttercup “Table 6” group and the circle of men who generously drove him once he was unable to continue doing so for himself. The family is forever grateful to the kind and exceptional staff at Magnolia Place Assisted Living and the numerous other people who worked very hard to help him remain independent and close to the people and places he loved so much.  

Graveside services for Mr. Scearce will be held at 12:00 PM Saturday at the Cayce United Methodist Church cemetery. There will be no visitation held at the funeral home and friends may meet at the cemetery at the time of service.
He will be greatly missed.