Thomas “Tom” Olin Paschal
July 16, 1940 – April 2, 2025
Funeral services for Thomas “Tom” Olin Paschal, 84, of Polk City, FL, are at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 10, 2025, at the Clark Funeral Home Chapel, Cairo, GA. Rev. Ron McCaskill will officiate. Military Honors will be presented. Interment will be in Tired Creek Methodist Church Cemetery, Cairo, GA. Mr. Paschal passed away in Lakeland, FL, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Active pallbearers will be Chad Butler, Shawn Butler, Chase Butler, David Rankin, Thaddeus Smith and Craig Burlingame.
Tom was born on July 16, 1940, in Cairo, GA, to the late Edwin Quinton Paschal and Oree Joyner Paschal. He spent his youth working with his Dad on the dairy farm, hunting, fishing, racing cars, and running moonshine. He was part of the Cairo High School graduating Class of 1958. Following high school, Tom served in the United States Navy where he spent his military service as an electronics sonar technician on submarines. Tom’s Naval service provided the foundation for a lifelong service to his country as a contractor for the Department of Defense.
On May 13, 1989, he married Brenda Burlingame Rankin. Tom and Brenda Paschal shared a 35-year marriage with 27 of those years spent living full time in a coach, traveling the United States. Many great years were shared exploring the country, visiting family, and making new friends. Tom and Brenda made their winter home in Polk City, Florida, have continued to return to the Cairo farm, spring and fall, and are known as snowbirds during the winter and early spring in central Florida.
Tom was a Mason and a member of the Moose Club. He was known as Tommy or Tom, Papa, Pop-Pop, and Uncle Tom had a love for his family, his country, traveling, salt water and freshwater fishing, and the financial market.
Survivors include: his wife, Brenda Paschal of Polk City, FL; children, Thomas Michael Paschal (Christine) of Guerneville, CA, Angela Paschal Smith (Thaddeus) of Valdosta, GA; David Allan Rankin (Michelle) of Nokesville, VA; grandchildren, Thomas Christopher Paschal, Nicholas Scott Paschal (Rebecca), both of Guerneville, CA, Bridgett Meyram (Jeff) of Maui, HI, Megan Hawkins, Marley Hawkins, Claire Hawkins, all of Valdosta, GA; Lydia Rankin of Gainesville, VA, Nicole Rankin of Richmond, VA, Nathan Rankin of Davenport, FL; great-grandchildren, Kevin Paschal, Harper Paschal, Brooke Paschal, all of Guerneville, CA, Hannah Vigil of Santa Rosa, CA, Kenneth Vigil of Maui, HI; sister, Beth Butler of Cairo, GA; nieces and nephews, Savannah Butler Beville of Hahira, GA, Emma Butler, Chase Butler, both of Cairo, GA; and a host of extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Oree Paschal.
Memorials may be made in Mr. Paschal’s memory to: Wounded Warrior Project https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate; or Tunnel to Towers Foundation https://t2t.org/donate/
The family will receive friends at Clark Funeral Home on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
