Thomas E. Dempsey, Jr.

Thomas Evan Dempsey, Jr., a life long resident of Cave Spring, passed away peacefully March 24, 2021 at his residence surrounded by his family. Mr. Dempsey was born to the late Mae Foster Smith Dempsey and the late Thomas Evan Dempsey, Sr. on December 5, 1939.

Mr. Dempsey graduated from the Cave Spring High School in 1957, received his BSEd and his Master’s Degree from West Georgia College (1962 and 1965) and his Specialist Degree from Jacksonville State University in 1981. While at West Georgia, he lettered in basketball. Mr. Dempsey taught and coached at Adairsville High School from 1962 to 1964 and at Cave Spring High School from 1964 until 1974. Starting in 1974, he served as assistant principal for ten years at Cave Spring. During his last eight years education, he was the principal of Cave Spring Elementary, retiring in 1992. He impacted multiple generations through his teaching, coaching, mentoring, and friendship in the Cave Spring and surrounding communities. Mr. Dempsey was a former member of the Adairsville Lions Club, the Cave Spring Ruritan Club, the Mackey Lodge #120 F. & A.M., the Cave Spring Historical Society, the Rome Rotary Club and the Rome Lions Club. He was an active member of the Georgia, Floyd County, and Alabama-Cherokee County Cattlemen’s Associations. Mr. Dempsey was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cave Spring.

Survivors include his wife of 18 years, Reatha Carroll Dempsey; his children, Thomas “Ted” Dempsey, III (Karoline) of Niceville, FL., Tara Dempsey Avery (Matthew) of Rome, and Tonya Dempsey Wilson (James) of Cave Spring, Rip Carroll of Rome, Laura Gourley (John) of Birmingham, Ben Carroll (Renee) of Missouri, eighteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Two sisters, Mrs. Reba Lindsey (Gerald) of Rome, and Mrs. Joan Crawford of Newnan, and five nephews and four nieces also survive.

Besides his parents, Mr. Dempsey was preceded in death by a sister, Mrs. Betty Marcus and by a brother Lynn Smith.

Funeral services for Mr. Dempsey were held Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 5:00 P.M. at the First Baptist Church of Cave Spring with Dr. Robin Lindsey and Rev. Jarrod Kinsey officiating. After the service, a celebration reception was held in the fellowship hall. His sons, sons-in law, and grandsons served as pallbearers. Private interment services were held at the Rehoboth Community Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.

Flowers were accepted, or donations can be made to the First Baptist Church of Cave Spring, P.O. Box 327, Cave Spring, GA. 30124.

John House’s Cave Spring Chapel.

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