Thomas Alton “Tom” Childs, Jr.

Mr. Thomas Alton “Tom” Childs, Jr., 74, of Morganton, NC and Elberton, GA, husband of Sandra Hipps Childs, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at UNC Health Blue Ridge in Morganton.

Mr. Childs was born in Elberton on December 13, 1949, the son of the late Thomas Alton Childs, Sr. and Alice Ruth Scott Childs. He was a graduate of Gardner Webb University. Mr. Childs loved his country and dedicated 30 years of his life to serving the United States Army. A true military man, Tom was awarded many decorations and medals for his service, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Saudi Kuwait Service Medal. Of all his years of service and achievements, Mr. Childs was most proud of the opportunity to serve his country in the Gulf War. As part of Desert Storm, he was an Army Infantryman serving as part of the 1st Brigade, 101st “Screaming Eagles” Airborne Division – the first unit to initiate the air assault into Iraq the first day of the ground war. After his military retirement, he worked for the Burke County Zoning Department in Morganton, NC.

Surviving, in addition to his wife Sandra, are his daughter, Kimberly B. Greaves of Atlanta, GA; daughter/granddaughter, Tessa Beach of Elberton, GA; son Shannon Beach of Morganton, NC; siblings: Julia Faye Mills, Carolyn Elizabeth (Ray) Jones, Patricia Wenona Churney, and Sandra Ruth (Jon) Eckstein, and grandchildren: Taylor Elizabeth Greaves, Dayton Greaves, and Carson Scott Greaves. Mr. Childs was blessed with many nieces and nephews who he cherished dearly. Known affectionately by family as June Bug, Pappy, and Poppy, Tom will be missed by all.

Along with his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers William Orr “Bill” Childs and Larry Gene Childs.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, October 10, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Berry Funeral Home in Elberton, GA.

Funeral services celebrating Tom’s life will be conducted on Friday, October 11, at 3:00p.m. at Woodlawn Methodist Church; he will be placed in the church at 2:00p.m. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Family and friends are welcome to gather at other times this week at the home of Wenona Churney, 3511 Olaf McCall Road, Elberton GA, to remember and celebrate Tom’s life.

Flowers are accepted, and those wishing to make contributions in lieu of flowers may make donations in his memory to Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Helene Relief for Western North Carolina, an area he came to love and call home for the last 25 years of his life. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-helene/.

Those wishing may sign the online guestbook at berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton, GA, with the assistance of Sossoman Funeral Home of Morganton, NC, is respectfully in charge of arrangements for Mr. Thomas Alton “Tom” Childs, Jr.