Tom B. Brumfield passed away February 28, 2018. Graveside services will be 11 a.m., Monday, March 5, at Waco Memorial Park, with visitation starting at 10:45 a.m.

Eddie Castro will be officiating.

Tom was born to Thomas S. and Fannie Blake Brumfield, April 8, 1928, China Spring, Texas. He was educated in China Spring and Penelope public schools. In 1943, he went to Waco seeking work at age 15 to provide for himself and his mother. He walked into the Coca-Cola Company, was hired, and remained employed there for 33 years. As he grew older and gained experience, he worked in the Advertising Dept. and was later put in charge of it for a few years. Afterwards, he became a salesman until he retired. He enjoyed his work and always said that it was a happy place with happy people.

Besides the joy of raising his children, he had four hobbies he greatly enjoyed: bowling, in which he excelled and at one time he considered becoming a professional bowler; fishing, mainly Lake Waco, but also in other lakes in central and east Texas; houseboats, built his own from scratch and enjoyed taking people for a cruise on Lake Waco; and last but not least, RV travel. He travelled for several years with his wife, Hattie, to various RV parks and Bluegrass festivals. Made a lot friends and had a great time.

He always had a feeling for others’ welfare, particularly the hungry, so to speak. Many times he would walk into a hamburger place and buy a hamburger for a street person if they were out in front and requesting help. He also spoke many times about some of the years before the Civil Rights Movement (mid 1940’s on up) in which he would go into a café and get food for black people, standing outside and not allowed to enter or forced to go to the back. After such stories, he would explain to us that we had no idea what those people went through in those days. He was influenced by the hard times he went through when it was just him and his mother. However, he always had an optimistic outlook and we considered him a pillar of strength and a great father who will be missed forever.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Hattie K. Brumfield; his parents; three brothers, Harold, Blake, and Laurence Brumfield.

He is survived by his son, Larry Brumfield; daughter, Carol Moczygemba and husband, James, and a few nephews and nieces.