Joe Tom Modrall

June 21, 1927 - June 9, 2009

Joe Tom Modrall, 81, long-time grocery store owner and resident of Hemingway Drive in Columbia, died Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at NHC Healthcare in Columbia. Services for Mr. Modrall will be conducted Friday, June 12, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home with Curtis Dowdy and David Morris officiating. Burial will be in the Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Thursday, June 11, 2009 from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. A native of Farmington, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Robert Pleasant Modrall and Lillie Mahalia Winfrey Modrall. Joe Tom was married to Betty Rewis Modrall for 59 wonderful years. He was a graduate of Columbia Central High School. He was in the United States Army during World War II and served in Austria. Joe Tom worked in grocery stores that were owned by William Connelly. He was in partnership with Joe Pickard at Pickard and Modralls Grocery on Hatcher Lane. He later owned and operated Modralls Grocery on West 15th Street and followed by Hatcher Lane Market which he sold in 1990. He worked at Thomas Market in Mt. Pleasant for several years after selling his own store. He was a member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19 and was a member of the Highland Church of Christ. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a brother "in-law, James (Nancy) Rewis, Sr. of El Paso, Texas; a sister-in-law, Jean Rewis (Lawrence) Meadows of Macon, Georgia; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Alice Katherine Modrall (Edgar) Schaeffer, Robert Ford (Grace) Modrall, Pearl Modrall (Adolf) Lesnesky, Ollie Howard (Louise) Modrall, and Vestal Larue Modrall (Bruce) Sellars. Pallbearers will be James Rewis, Sr., James Rewis, Jr., Joe Rewis, David Modrall, Bob White, Larry Turner, Scott Turner, and Kenneth Mullinax. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lawrence Meadows, Charles Brewer, Faye Hartsfield, Frank Thomas, James Stofel, and the Elders and Deacons of Highland Church of Christ. Memorials may be made to the Highland Church of Christ Building Fund, 497 East James Campbell Boulevard, Columbia, TN 38401 or the American Cancer Society, 2000 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.heritage-fhcs.com.