Tommy Grooms, age 81, of Paducah, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Baptist Health Paducah.
Tommy was born on January 17, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Huel and Francis Breedlove Grooms.
A man of strong character and conviction, Tommy lived a principled life led by his Christian faith. He was a man of integrity, believing that your word is your bond and that you should never, ever cheat in golf. He and his wife attended Faith Center in Paducah.
He lived a full life, filled with laughter, love, and simple pleasures. Tommy was known for his quick wit, larger-than-life stories, and concern for the well-being of others. He felt that kindness was never wasted.
He was an avid golfer until his health declined, and he then became an avid watcher of the Golf Channel. He was also a loyal fan of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Most of all, he loved making frequent trips to Tennessee to visit his daughter and grandchildren, his greatest joy. Tommy was always tinkering or repairing something around the house, where he was given the nickname “Mr. Fix-it”. He treated each opportunity as a personal challenge of being able to fix anything.
Tommy’s work life included positions such as General Chairman for the Boilermakers & Blacksmiths, Maintenance Foreman for General Tire, and a security guard at Baptist Health Paducah, in his later years.
Tommy’s family was everything to him. He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Brenda Linn Grooms of Paducah, Kentucky; one daughter, Shelley (JT) McCraw of Franklin, Tennessee; two brothers, Mickey (Betty) Grooms of Sedalia, Kentucky, and Barry (Dettye Ann) Grooms of Tampa, Florida; five grandchildren, Seth McCraw, Carson (Maria) McCraw, Allie Beth (Jonas) Litton, Halle McCraw, and Blakely McCraw; and one great-grandchild, Ezra Litton. He was preceded in death by his brother, Larry Grooms.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah with Rev. John Aitken officiating. Burial will follow at Cunningham Memorial Garden.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the service hour on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Lifeline Recovery Center, P.O. Box 7652, Paducah, KY 42002.
