Rev. Tommy Cherry, 68, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, August 29, 2013, at his residence in Louisville, Mississippi. Visitation will be at Ellison RidgeBaptist Church in Louisville on Saturday, August 31, 2013, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 1, 2013, at Ellison Ridge with Rev. Paul Blanchard officiating. Interment will be in Ellison Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery.
Bro. Cherry was born on October 23, 1944, to Thomas Wayne and Georgia Frye Cherry. He served as a pastor for 33 years during which times he served Sabougla Baptist Church inCalhoun County, Mississippi and Parkview Baptist Church in Leland, Mississippi. For the past 15 years, Bro. Cherry has pastored at Ellison Ridge Baptist Church and for the last eight years, he dually pastored at Yellow Creek Baptist Church both in Louisville. He is also remembered for many years of dedicated service as a volunteer chaplain at Diamond GroveTreatment Center and at Baptist Children’s Village in Nanih Waiya. Bro. Cherry answered the call of his country by serving seven years in the United States Navy during which time he served two terms of duty in the Vietnam War.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Lorraine Cherry of Louisville; and his daughter, Beth Wasson and husband, Philip, of Greenville, Mississippi. He is also survived by his sister, Donna Kay Morton (John) and his brother, Eddie Cherry (Terrie) all of Marshall, Texas. Bro. Cherry has three grandsons, B. J. Wasson, Walker Wasson, and Chase Wasson. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Susie Coffman.
Pallbearers will be Willie Sloan, Clyde Prisock, Edward Stokes, Tim Flora, Larry Hemphill, Tony Trosper, Charles Johnson, and David Livingston. Memorials may be given to Ellison Ridge Baptist Church, c/o Kathy Carr, 13 Ellison Ridge Church Road, Louisville, MS39339 .
Arrangements are under the direction of Nowell-Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.co
