Thomas E. “Tommy” Lamar, a resident of Oxford and a native of New Albany, departed this life on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 at The Regional One Medical Center in Memphis. He was 77 years of age and died from injuries received in a one-vehicle accident that occurred in Oxford on Friday, Jan. 19, 2018.

A Graveside Service of Remembrance honoring the life of Tommy will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Oxford Memorial Cemetery with Rev. Eddie Rester of the Oxford University United Methodist Church officiating. A visitation for family and friends will be at the cemetery 30 minutes prior to services. The Ripley Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.

  Born in New Albany on Jan. 21, 1941, he was the son of the late W. T. and Estelle Lamar. Tommy was a graduate of New Albany High School and continued his education at the University of Mississippi where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He received his B.A. Degree in English with a Master’s Degree and Advanced Master’s Degree, also in English.

In earlier years he was an instructor at Blue Mountain College and then served as Assistant Financial Advisor for the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Mississippi until his retirement in 2001. Tommy continued to serve as President of the Union Development Corporation in New Albany until his death.

Tommy was a lifelong Methodist and had been a resident of Oxford for much of his life. A compassionate person and a gifted storyteller, his interests were many and included music, theater, art and animals. With a love for history and heritage, Tommy received much pleasure in owning and residing in one of the oldest homes in Oxford known as “Lindfield” circa 1832.

His survivors include his sister, Betty Lamar Peebles (Tom) of Ripley, Miss.,  his brother, Dr. Wayne Terry Lamar (Linda) of Oxford, Miss.,  one niece, Leslie Lamar Mallory of Memphis, Tenn., three nephews, William Chadwick Lamar of Oxford, Dr. Robert M. Pickering of Memphis and Lucius M. Lamar of Oxford, two great-nieces and six great-nephews.

Tommy was also preceded in death by a sister, Suzanne Lamar Anderson of Oxford.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Oxford University Methodist Church, 424 S.10th Street, Oxford, MS 38655 or the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society, 413 McElroy Dr. Oxford, MS 38655.

The Ripley Funeral invites you to share memories with the Lamar family at www.ripleyfuneralhome.com.