TOMMY MITCHELL COOLEY, SR. (1938-2023)

Tommy Mitchell Cooley, Sr., 85, passed away on October 12, 2023. He was born on February 24, 1938, in Alford, Florida. Tommy graduated from Bay High School in 1957 where he was president of the Sophomore and Junior classes and president of the Student Government. He attended the University of Florida and served in the Army Reserves.

Tommy was a self-made man. At the age of 10, he began selling crabs and cleaning fish at the St. Andrews Marina. He worked through the years selling produce for Mr. Hunt, as a soda jerk at St. Andrews Drug Store, a bellhop at Scenic Hotel and Edgewater Beach Cottages, a jack-of-all-trades at The Reef Hotel, selling watermelons and hamburgers at Wayside Park, selling mullet at Smokey Joe's on the beach, and a life insurance salesman with Gerry Clemons. He became manager of the Panama City Credit Bureau and soon began various businesses on the beach and in town which led to the establishment of Cooley Management. It was at one of these businesses Tommy met his future wife, Olivia, when she worked for him one summer.

Tommy loved Bay County and felt he owed it much as it had been so good to him. He was chairman of the Bay Medical Hospital Board of Trustees for ten years where he diligently worked for all to have access to basic health care. He was honored for these efforts by having the Administration Building named for him. He was chairman of the Bay County Commission, Military Affairs, and the Port Authority among many other community organizations. Tommy was honored to receive the Lauren Merriam Award for community service. He was a member of First Baptist Church.

Tommy was known for his quick wit, oft-repeated jokes, consummate card-playing skill, handmade greeting cards, and great loyalty to his friends. Nothing brought Tommy more pleasure than making others laugh. He was a master of one-liners.

Tommy was the last of eight children born to Gus and Bessie Mae Cooley. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Earl (Margie), Glen, Don, Harold (Helen), and Paul, his sisters, Sarah Grace Crews (Gene) and Modray Knauss, and his brother-in-law, Bill McKeithen. Tommy is survived by his wife of 50 years, Olivia Byrd Cooley, his son, Tommy Mitchell Cooley, Jr, his daughter, Elizabeth Cooley Nelson and husband Justin, and the joys of his life, his grandchildren, Oliver, Adeline, and Martin Nelson, his sisters-in-law, Ivy Cooley, Alice Cooley, Beth McKeithen, Pam Weathersby (Ronnie), Betsy Byrd, and his brothers-in-law, David Knauss,  Wyatt Byrd (Dagmar), and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Tommy will be held Monday, October 16, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall (former church sanctuary). The family will receive friends immediately following the service. There will be a private family graveside service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Andrew Community Medical Center, 3101-B Hwy 98 West, Panama City, FL 32401 in memory of Tommy. Active pallbearers are Gerry Clemons, Andy Stein, Mike Groom, Michael Knauss, Ronnie Weathersby, Jim Baker, Les Burke, Rayford Lloyd, Royal Murphy, Harold Bazzel, Jason Smith, and Steve Christian. Honorary pallbearers are John Robert Middlemas, Jim Moody, Charles Ansley, Dr. Tim Smith, Jimmy Christo, and the Thursday morning Bible Study Group. Special gratitude is given to Covenant Hospice for their dedicated care and to Jason Smith, Steve Christian, and Artur Garbiec for their friendship and care, which gave Tommy much pleasure over the last years.