Thomas A. Nerich,

Thomas Anthony Nerich, Jr (Tom) started his adventure of life when he was born in Manhattan, New York June 7, 1952 to Thomas and Dorothy (Brennan) Nerich Sr to be welcomed home by his big sister Mary Elizabeth, and later would welcome 3 cousins to be loved and raised as siblings, John Paul, Dotsie and Bobby Tressell. The family moved to Lindenhurst, New York where Tom would grow up to attend Lindenhurst High and become a student of the class of 1972 and a member of The America Legion Blue Hornet's Drum & Bugle Corps. Tom also volunteered at the Lindenhurst Fire Department for a number of years and enjoyed fast cars, boats and anything that would give his parents a slight heart attack as he was a true good/bad boy. We so enjoyed hearing these stories and wondered at times how emblazed they may be or how Tom survived his teenage and early adulthood years J.

Tom would marry his high school sweetheart Doris (Tuttle) Terrell and in 1977 they would move to Georgia where Tom started his career at Gulfstream Aerospace.  Tom & Doris would have a tiny baby boy Brian Thomas Nerich who grew up to be a loving son and father to his first grandchild Taylor Brooke.

Tom also enjoyed boating, fishing, his bowling team nights, shooting pool and having a good time with friends.

Tom retired from Gulfstream in 2000 and for a number of years helped his dear friend and brother by heart Harry Derverges (Vickie) painting houses a job he truly loved to hate but here he found his second family with three girls Mindy, Mary, and Jesse who he came to love and loved their children oh so very much.  Through this extended family Tom met his wife Darlene (Peebles/Aanerud) and they married in 2004 where Tom became a second father to Desiree (Aanerud) and his four legged children Junior and Shadow and yes Killer too. Tom would join the Oglethorpe Speedway Park family where he could found helping his wife (Darlene) wherever she put him or needed help until he got to the front gate and how he loved working the front gate to get his Friday night Ladies hugs as he called it. In 2013 Tom gained his 2nd second son James Killian when he married Desiree and they blessed Tom with two children Bailey Mae and Tom chair thief/buddy Luke James (Luke Man).

Tom went back to work part time roughly ten years ago with GoMobile Storage just to get out of the house for a bit, he would soon became a full time employee and then the Office Manager. It was here he found another extended family to love and work with Bob Schmultzer, Duane (Judy) Goble, Tom (Julia) Ames, Tim (Laura) Adams and many others who Tom came to meet along the way which was one of the things he really enjoyed about his time with GoMobile was constantly meeting new people.

Tom left Georgia on his final adventure to join his parents Tom & Dorothy Nerich, Sister Mary Elizabeth, Father in Law John Peebles. Lifelong friends Brian Potter, Kay Ellen & Jimmy Patterson and Harry & Vickie Derverges on Saturday morning January 5, 2019 after a short hospital stay.  The angels as he called the ICU Nurses at Memorial Health gave him every ounce of comfort and care in those final days with tears and smiles and even a chuckle or two and for this the family is forever grateful.

Tom is survived and will be dearly missed by many especially his step Mom Florence Nerich (Tom Sr) his first wife Doris (& Bubba) Terrell, current wife Darlene Nerich and other-??-wife Jocelyn (? If he could remember her last name). His children Brian Thomas (& Ashley Jones) Nerich, Desiree (& James) Killian, Heather Daniel (& Brad Wynn). The true joy of his life his grandchildren: Taylor Brooke, Landon Paul, Bailey Mae, Luke James and Macy Sylvia. The best neighbors in the world: Dave & Jocelyn Anderson, Mike & Lindsey Minger, Jeremy Guthrie & Maud Nobrac and the Walsh Clan all of who Tom loved more like family than neighbors.  His honorary pallbearers who Tom loved like brothers and sons: Tony (Regina) Killian, Brandon (Taylor) Evans, Addison (Lindsey) Smith, Jordan Dellinger, Billy (Ashley) Stevens,  John Charles (Jessica) O'Neal, Ashley (Darcy) Morgan and Jason (Paige Floyd) Powers. Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins not to mention the millions of friends Tom made along the way during this journey/adventure we call life and as our granddaughter Baily Mae asked - "Why did Grandpa go on this adventure without us?"

A visitation be be held from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m Saturday, January 12, 2019 in the funeral home chapel; services will follow and begin at 7:00 p.m..

Services have been entrusted to Baker McCullough Funeral Home Garden City Chapel, 2794 West US Highway 80 Garden City, Georgia 31408. (912)964-2862.