Thomas Grover Birdsong

Thomas Grover Birdsong, 76, passed away December 15, 2023 at his home in Wiggins. He was born August 19, 1947 in Meridian, MS, one of four boys to parents Roger and Omega (McDonald) Birdsong. Thomas, or Tommy as he was widely known, grew up in Meridian and enjoyed hunting, fishing, working with wood and collecting coins. He attended Meridian High School, graduating with the Class of 1965. From there, Tommy went to work for a year or so before deciding to join the MS Air National Guard in 1966. He was trained as a Fire Protection Specialist and served honorably for almost seven years. After his discharge, Tommy eventually secured a position with the Keesler Air Force Base Fire Department and spent over 25 years before his retirement in 2004. Tommy spent his entire career serving others through the fire service. His dedication and commitment was a testimony to the man he was. After his time at Keesler, Tommy worked in Alaska for a while, and even went to Ecuador working in the fire service. He was a firefighter through and through. He is remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather who loved to laugh. He did his best to bring smiles to the faces of those around him regularly. Tommy had a knack for finding just about anything. If you mentioned you needed it, he could locate it, with the help of Google. He continued to hunt and fish, do his woodwork, and collect his coins and guns to keep himself busy. For all that he was, the wit, charm, and dedication to service that defined Tommy, will live on in the hearts and minds of all whose lives he touched. He was preceded by his parents, Roger Birdsong and Omega Birdsong Evans, his brother Buddy Birdsong, and a close cousin and fellow firefighter, Jimmy Clayton. Left to cherish his memories are: his wife of over thirty years, Karen; his daughters: Amanda (Zack) Hamilton, Angie (Jeff) Weiss, April (Jason) Solloway, Lisa (Anthony) Lyon, and Courtney (RJ) McInnis; and his two brothers: Sonny (Marsha) and Harry (Lori) Birdsong. Tommy leaves a legacy of sixteen grandchildren, including thirteen grands and three great-grands, numerous extended family, friends, and his firefighting family through the years. Tommy's final wishes were to be cremated, which his family is honoring. A celebration of Tommy's life will be held at a later date. The family would also like to say a special thanks to all those who helped care for him in these past several weeks, including the staff at Memorial Hospital, the nurses and staff with Enhabit Hospice, and a special thanks to his grandkids Jordan and Lainee Wilson, who were right by his side the entire time. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve the Birdsong family in their time of need and asks that you remember them in your thoughts and prayers through the days ahead.