Tom T. "Buddy" Makin passed away Friday, August 19 at the Bridge at Ridgely. Buddy, a resident of Tiptonville, TN, was 84 years old.

Buddy was born on September 14, 1931, in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, to C.B. Makin and Mabel Warren Makin. After leaving Virginia, the Makins settled in Tiptonville, TN, where Buddy attended and graduated from Tiptonville High School, the class of 1950.

Following graduation, he enrolled at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, where he earned his Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree from the School of Agriculture.

Buddy was married to his high school sweetheart, Alice Roberson Makin for sixty-four years. To this union, four children were born. They are James Bradshaw Makin (Sarah) of Clinton. TN; Mary Makin (R.T.) of Tiptonville, TN; Tom Scott Makin of Obion County, TN; Katherine Makin of Johnson City, TN; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, all of the above who survive.

Buddy excelled in football, playing at Tiptonville High School, University of Missouri, and on a special team while serving in the Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During this time in the Army, he was awarded the rank of 2nd Lt. Field Artillery.

After completing his military service, Buddy taught biology and was an assistant football coach at Union City High School in Union City, TN. Leaving Union City High School, he taught agriculture and biology, worked as an assistant football coach, and eventually became the principal at Lake County High School in Tiptonville, TN, serving in this capacity for five years.

Believing that he had accomplished all of his goals in education, Buddy returned to Wise County, Virginia, where he owned and operated a seeding and land restoration company for strip-mined areas, Also he engaged in cattle farming along with his business for the next thirty-five years.

In 2010, Buddy and Alice made their final move home to Reelfoot Lake. He loved to share his wonderful fishing and hunting times that he had experienced in this area. However, Buddy eagerly shared that his most special memories of hunting were with his sons, Brad and Tom, while deer hunting in the mountains of Virginia.

Above all his accomplishments, Buddy has been a dedicated Christian from his teenage years to the present. He was a faithful member of the Church of Christ, which he attended regularly. Prayerfully and financially, Buddy served the Lord by always putting Him first in his life.

Buddy was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Ann Makin.

A celebration of Buddy's life will be held at the Tiptonville Church of Christ in Tiptonville, TN, from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on Monday, August 22. His cremation, as well as the visitation, will be handled through Dyersburg Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials for Buddy be directed to the Tiptonville Church of Christ, 515 Church Street, Tiptonville, TN 38079.