Thomas Lee Brown

Sumter, SC ….. Thomas Lee Brown, age 68, beloved husband of over 37 years, to Mary Margaret Hill Brown, passed away on Friday, May 1, 2026, at HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, Florida.

Born in Mount Vernon, OH, he was the son of John Nelson Brown and the late Kathleen Porter Brown.  Tom was a stellar athlete in high school, where he lettered in five different sports.  After graduation, he went to Youngstown State University on a football scholarship.  Tom decided to leave school and join the Marine Corps.  During his service, he had many assignments, including overseas in Japan.  Tom medically retired after 10 years, achieving the rank of SSgt.  He then attended Devry University and earned his bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering.  Tom had a long career as a systems network engineer with both Bank One and AT&T.  He was always involved in his children's lives, coaching multiple sports during their youth.  A strong man of faith, Tom was a member of Cross Bridge Christian Church, where he served as a deacon for 10 years.  He was a devoted husband and loved his family, especially his children and grandchildren, and treated his nieces and nephews just as he did his children.  Tom will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

In addition to his wife and father, surviving to cherish his memory are: two sons, Robert Thomas Brown, and Matthew Nelson Brown, both of Sumter, SC; a daughter, Jayme Nichole Lyday and husband Jason of Tampa, FL; two brothers, John Brown and wife Debbie of Alliance, OH, and Tim Brown and wife Maria, of Sumter, SC; two sisters, Marcia Woodward and husband Norman of Mount Vernon, OH, and Jeanine Bare and husband Ted of Mansfield, OH; his mother-in-law, Deloris Hill of Sumter, SC; a sister-in-law, Becky Merrill of Sumter, SC; four grandchildren, Delilah, Max, Ray, and Diana, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his mother, he is preceded in death by a brother, Douglas Booth.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 12:00 pm in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel. The interment will follow the service at 2:00 pm at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery with military honors.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 11:00 – 12:00 pm at Bullock Funeral Home.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

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