Norman, Arkansas

Tommy Jefferson Brunt was born in Black Springs, Arkansas on August 9, 1936.  He was the oldest son of Cora (Barnett) Brunt and Sherman Jefferson Brunt.  His younger brothers are Edwin Dewayne and Franklin James, better known among their family and friends as Dewayne and Jamie.  He also had a sister, Carolyn Brunt Isom, who preceded him in death.

Tommy attended grade school in Black Springs and high school at Norman.  

After his graduation from Norman High School in 1956, he joined the U.S. Navy where  he served active duty for 4 years, until August 26, 1960.  He was on aircraft carriers Boxer, Bennington and Lexington.  His job was operating the #1 catapult engine, which launched aircraft from the carrier.  Upon discharge he worked in the mid-south painting water towers.  Then he decided to go to barber school (Eaton Barber College) in Little Rock.  He worked a short time in Camden, AR and then moved to West Helena, AR where he owned  Tommy s Barber Shop  for 15 years.  He enjoyed this and getting to talk to people and he had many friends in the Helena West Helena area.  He was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, baseball organizations and he was involved in many sports activities.  With the popularity of long hair styles, he decided it was a good time to return  home and go into farming.  He built two broiler chicken houses and had cattle on Caddo Gap and Black Springs farms; he also cut hair part time in Norman and drove a school bus for  Caddo Gap School.  These were busy years for his family.

Tommy loved riding the backwoods of the county, always on the lookout for changes in the scenery and aware of the landscape and habitat of the area.  He enjoyed his farming activities, and when calves sold for top dollar at the local sale, he was pleased that he had some of the best ones in the area.   He never wanted to go on vacations, he would say, "I m doing just what I want to do and am just where I want to be.   Life  is complete, why would I want to go anywhere."

He served two terms as a member of  the Caddo Hills School Board.  This was during the consolidation of the two schools (Norman and Caddo Gap) and some meetings were lengthy. He often commented it was good to see the two districts united and a better school system produced.

There was nothing he enjoyed more than having family and friends in his home and maybe cooking fish for them.

Being a member of the local Masonic Lodges in both Glenwood and Black Springs Tommy enjoyed the spiritual companionship of his fellow Masons.   He was a 33rd degree Mason.   He also attended the Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church in the Bumble Bee area.  He had many friends there and enjoyed the services.

As his health was failing and he had to quit farming, he enjoyed his friends at the Senior Center.  They had some lively pool games.

During his son's growing up years Tommy enjoyed  all the school sports activities.  Jeff was a good athlete and Tommy was never too tired or too busy to attend a ball game.   Of course, he expected Jeff's grades to be good and he expected Jeff to behave in an acceptable manner.

It came as a shock to his community when Tommy grew gravely ill and had to face more heart surgery.  He had only moved to his new home on North Bumble Bee Road in Glenwood two years earlier.  He had so much to live for.

Tommy married Gretta Gladden of Caddo Gap on September 17, 1960 at Marshall, Texas.  The couple have one son, Travis Jefferson  "Jeff " Brunt, who lives in Ogden, Utah.  Jeff has been self employed in construction concrete work for 12 years, but last year started selling Ford trucks.  Tommy enjoyed life and looked forward to living a ripe old age, but it was  not to be.  He lost his battle with cancer on March 24, 2004 at the young age of 67 years.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 am, Saturday, March 27, in the Davis-Smith Funeral  Home Chapel, with Bro. Bill Driggers,  Jr. and Bro Marvin Black officiating.  Arrangement were in charge of Davis-Smith Funeral Home in Glenwood.   Tommy was laid to rest in the Black Springs Cemetery.