Ralph Thomas "Tommy" Tyson, Jr., age 72, met his Lord and Savior on Monday, February 22, 2021, in the comforts of his Fayetteville home. A lifelong resident of Fayetteville, he was born on February 20, 1949, to Ralph Thomas Tyson, Sr. and Nancy Rose Riley Tyson. Tommy was a 1968 graduate of Massey Hill High School, where he met his wife of 52 years, Jeanette Kay Spiller Tyson. They wed in November of 1968 and welcomed their only child, Cindy in February of 1970.

Tommy made an honest living by carrying on the family business of painting. His trade made him a well-known painter in Fayetteville and surrounding areas. In his younger days, hunting was his favorite past-time, while later in life visiting Holden's Beach and traveling to Cullowhee, NC to watch his granddaughter attend and graduate from Western Carolina University proved to be some of the major highlights in his life. Locally, he served as a deacon for Ebenezer Bible Church and Hillside Baptist Church, and as a Chaplain for the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV Camp #138) until his health prevented him from continuing to attend camp meetings. Of all his earthly titles, one could agree that his favorite role was that of "Papa".

He is survived by his wife, Kay; daughter and husband, Cindy and Jimmy McDuffie of Fayetteville; and granddaughter and husband, Mandy and Tim Hall of Raeford, who are expecting their first child, Lawson, in late March 2021.Tommy is preceded in death by his parents and cousin, Doris.

The family will receive friends from 6-8PM on Thursday February 25 at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held Friday February 26 at 1PM at Hillside Baptist Church, 3807 Legion Road in Hope Mills, NC with Pastor Phil Lloyd officiating. Burial will follow at Lafayette Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation www.alzfdn.org or to the American Heart Association www.heart.org .

Online condolences may be made at https://www.jerniganwarren.com/

Services are entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301.

Alzheimer's Foundation of America
322 Eighth Ave., 7th floor, New York NY 10001
Tel: 1-866-232-8484
Web: https://alzfdn.org

American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Ave, Dallas TX 75231
Tel: 1-800-242-8721
Web: https://heart.org