THOMAS E. WINSTEAD JR.

JONESVILLE, North Carolina - Thomas "Tom" E. Winstead Jr., of Jonesville, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, after a long, hard-fought health battle at Atrium Health - Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

He was born on Dec. 2, 1950, in San Antonio, Texas, to Thomas E. Winstead Sr. and the late Lucille Coleman Winstead. As a child in a military family, Tom grew up and lived all over the world, which instilled in him a love for travel and experiencing new things, especially with those that he loved. He graduated from Chicopee Comprehensive High School in Chicopee, Massachusetts, before moving back to his family in Sumter, the home of a duty station called Shaw Air Force Base, where his family would settle.

Tom graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia with a degree in journalism. Upon graduation, Tom returned to Sumter to join the Air Force and served honorably for four years. In those years, Tom met and married Debbie Thorne at Crosswell Baptist Church. Together, they had two beautiful, incredible daughters, Stephanie and Becky, who were the absolute lights of his life.

Tom moved away from Sumter and began a long career in advertising and management. He managed malls all over the country from Texas to Wisconsin to North Carolina, and even abroad in Jakarta, Indonesia. Most recently, he worked as the senior facility manager with JLL. Tom's interests and limits knew no bounds, not to him at least. In North Carolina, Tom met and married Melinda Sloop. They shared a special relationship even to the end. Tom's family, the Sloop family and especially his friends that were just like family, provided a great source of love and strength for Tom when he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1996. Through many prayers and prayer chains that were started all over the world, our Lord provided healing to Tom, and he remained in remission for many years. Through the Lord's providence and guidance, Tom helped his father, Tom Winstead Sr., found The Christian Golfers' Association, a national ministry that became a global ministry dedicated to promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ amongst golfers and non-golfers alike.

Tom continued to work in property management throughout North Carolina up until the very end, always being regarded as the consummate professional. He was a good, good man whose kindness and smile will always be cherished and remembered.

During his professional career, he was involved with CoreNet, IFMA and ICSC trade associations. He earned the Certified Shopping Center Manager (CSM) designation and was recognized by Grubb and Ellis with the Super Nova Award, President's Circle Award and Circle of Excellence Award.

Civically, while in Charlotte, Tom was a past president of Crime Stoppers and Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce, past president - East Area Council. Additionally, he was a past member of Rotary International in Racine, Wisconsion, and the Jaycees in Sumter. He was also a past president of the Sales and Marketing Executives in Winston-Salem. He was a member of Elkin Presbyterian Church, where served as an elder and chairman of the finance committee, until his passing.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his father; two daughters, Stephanie Winstead McCormick (Deron) and Becky Winstead Craft (Donny); a brother, William "Bill" Richard Winstead; grandchildren, Drake Harrison McCormick (Blakely) and Marley Rebecca McCormick (Joshua Congdon); special nephews, Hank Sloop and Chip Sloop; special family members, Melinda Sloop Winstead, Martha Sloop, Kimberly MacCumbee (Matt), Renee Oliver and Debbie Thorne Moore (Tom); special friends that were family to him, Heather Whitley, Bill and Sally Hansen, Lou, Jennifer, and Dalton Nagy, Doug and Ellen Driver, Steve Beatty, Frank Hartge and Ron Brinza; and numerous other family and friends.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his sister, Pam Winstead Oliver.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.

A committal service with military honors will be held at noon on Wednesday in the Ft. Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Clay Smith.

A memorial service to celebrate Tom's life and legacy, one that will be filled with lots of laughter and barbecue, just as he would have wanted, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Elkin Presbyterian Church in Elkin, North Carolina, officiated by the Rev. Arlo Tysinger.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Elkin Presbyterian Church, 151 Hillcrest Drive, Elkin, NC 28621; Christian Golfers Association, 1285 Clara Louise Kellogg Drive, Sumter, SC 29153; or SECU Family House, 1970 Baldwin Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.