Thomas "Tom" Landrum, 87, of Laurel passed away peacefully on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Tom was born on April 9, 1932 in Laurel.
Born into a humble sharecropping family, Tom lived out his early years swimming in the creek, cane-pole fishing, getting into general mischief and daydreaming of a bigger life. At the age of 15, he fell in love at first sight with the beautiful girl in the green plaid dress on the school bus and a few years later he made her his bride.
After high school, Tom served in the Air Force until leaving to begin his studies at Jones County Junior College. Upon receiving a football scholarship, he transferred to the University of Louisville and later finished his undergraduate degree in History at Mississippi College. He went on to complete his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Southern Mississippi. Always one to have too many irons in the fire and never enough time, Tom was just a dissertation away from earning his PhD in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi.
After college, he began teaching and coaching at Central High School in Jackson and eventually in the Jones County School System. During that time, he also began working with the Jones County Court Systems in the Department of Youth Services, where he founded the Criminal Justice Program at Jones County Junior College. Tom was hired as the superintendent of the Columbia Training School and as administrator and Special Judge of the Jackson County Family Court in Pascagoula, where he eventually retired with the Mississippi Department of Youth Services.
Upon retirement, Tom and his wife returned to Laurel and founded Landrum’s Country (now Landrum’s Homestead & Village) with their family. People from all over the world come to visit Landrum’s and marvel at the creative masterpiece he has been able to bring to life over the past 36 years. Tom had that rare quality of being both a dreamer and a doer, along with being able to rally troops to dedicated to bringing his vision to life.
Tom was a devoted family man, master craftsman, beloved teacher, and proud ambassador for Laurel, Jones County and the State of Mississippi — he was proud to call Mississippi home. Everyone who knew Tom, knew how much he loved his sweetheart Anne, whom he still picked flowers for up until the last years of his life. He dedicated his life to helping those who could not help themselves, tending to his plants, beautifying his nature trails, instilling a sense of awe and wonder for the natural world in his family, and passing along his love of travel to places off the beaten path. Tom was, in the words of his adoring wife, “obsessed” with preserving history and extensive genealogical research. He was truly the most interesting man in the world.
Visitation was Sunday at Ellisville Funeral Home in Ellisville. Funeral services will be Monday, Dec. 16, with visitation to begin at 9 a.m. and services to start at 10 at Mount Vernon Church in Laurel, with burial to follow in Tuckers Crossing Baptist Church Cemetery in Laurel.
Brother Davy Fenton, Brother Phil Smith and Brother Eddie Bryant will officiate. Ellisville Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
He was preceded in death by his father Alfred Landrum; mother Bonnie Landrum; great-grandson Wills Bowie; sisters Betty Bryant and Edna Walters; and brothers Jack Landrum and Tony Landrum.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years Anne Geddie Landrum; sons David Landrum (Jill), Bruce Landrum (Beverly) and Mike Landrum (Amy); daughters Deborah Upton (Eddie) and Susan Landrum; grandchildren Tommy Landrum (Candice), Josh Upton (Kelsey), Lauren Bowie (Walt), Makenzi Pacific, Daniel Upton, Nathan Landrum, Justin Landrum, Julialake Graham (Tyler), Jacob Upton, Grant Landrum, Samantha Landrum, Connor Landrum, Solomon Landrum, Arabella Landrum, Jennifer Holifield (Darrell) and Scott Upton (Melissa); great-grandchildren Fenley Bowie, Emerson Bowie, Lake Landrum, Alivia Upton, Ainsley Upton, Landrum Graham, August Anne Graham, Vaeda James Graham, Caitlyn Holifield, Cambry Holifield, Caleb Holifield, Zach Upton and Austin Upton.
Pallbearers will be Tommy Landrum, Josh Upton, Daniel Upton, Justin Landrum, Jacob Upton, Solomon Landrum and Connor Landrum.
An online guestbook may be signed at www.ellisvillefuneralhome.com.
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