Thomas Wesley Medlock

Thomas (Tom) Wesley Medlock passed away on April 21, 2018. He would have been 94 on July 15. His spirit and legacy will live on through his large and loving family.

Tom Medlock’s life was closely linked to Atlanta’s past century. He was born at home on Oakdale Road in Druid Hills to Myrtice Elzada Wilson (Rehoboth area) and James Wade Medlock, Sr. and was raised in Virginia-Highland. He was the last surviving child of their 8 children. Tom attended Samuel Inman Elementary, Bass Jr. High and graduated from Boys High, now known as Grady High School. He was in the Army Air Corps and was honorably discharged after WWII at Ft. McPherson in March 1946. He earned a degree from Georgia Tech in technical drafting, a program for returning servicemen. He built several houses in the central Dekalb area, one being on Willivee Drive, which was originally the farmland of his grandfather, William Parks Medlock. Willivee Drive was named for his aunt, Willie Vilenah. Many metro Atlanta streets, parks and neighborhoods trace their origins to the pioneering Medlock family.

Tom became a DeKalb County residential appraiser in the 1950s, when DeKalb County was booming with new suburbs and schools. He later worked with the federal government in what became The Department of Housing and Urban development (HUD).

He married Dorothy Jean Eastman (deceased 2011) on December 21, 1946, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Atlanta. They made their first home on Oak Street, SW. Tom later built their home in DeKalb County, outside Decatur, in the early 1950s. They raised two daughters, Dianne Medlock Joy, married to William Joy, and Tommie Lynn Medlock Nichols, married to Frank David Nichols. He adored his four grandchildren, William Edward (Ted) Joy (Stephanie Lee), Frank David Nichols, III, Dorothy Caroline Nichols (Ethan James) and Catherine Wesley Joy. The family lost Frank David Nichols, III, his second-born grandchild, in 1987. Tom is also survived by eight great grandchildren, Elisabeth, Mackenzie and Madison Joy, Charlotte and Henry Nichols and Thomas, Max and Alex Prado.

Being the last of the Medlock children, he leaves behind nephews Ben Blackburn, Jackie Lindorme, Wade Lindorme, Wade Medlock, David Medlock, Ted Medlock and nieces Betty Sue Thompson, Jane Blackburn Disbrow, Nancy Blackburn Bracewell, Margaret Medlock Bailey, Gayle Medlock Merlino. Doris Payne Sebastian, Ray Payne, Douglas Blackburn and Michael Medlock predeceased him.

He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Wilson Hume Eastman (Marion) and sons, Mike Eastman (Colleen), Bob Eastman (Colette), Larry Eastman (Helen) and their children and grandchildren.

His family appreciates the devotion of his caregivers Jackie Jennings, Barbara Campbell, Desrene Campbell, Georgia Douglas, Linda Bryant, Crystal Koustrup, and of nurse, Anne Mitchell and aide Barbara Hawker from Atlanta Hospice. A special thank you goes to Jules Marchais and Andrea Lindorme for the time they spent with him.

Tom enjoyed a lifetime of great friendships and close family. He always made us laugh when we most needed it and he was the most honest man we all knew.

Visitation will be at A.S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, GA, on Saturday, April 28 from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Graveside service will be at Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs, GA on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m.

In memory of his grandson and in lieu of flowers, Tom Medlock requested that donations be made to the Frank David Nichols, III, Scholarship Endowment. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Tech Foundation and must include “Frank David Nichols, III Scholarship Endowment,” in the memo line. The address is Georgia Tech Foundation, 760 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30308.

Feel free to leave the family your condolences via the guestbook provided.