Thomas Lynn Saladin, age 73, of Greenbrier, passed away Saturday, January 6, 2024, at TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 1pm Saturday, January 13th in the chapel of Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Greenbrier with Bro. Randy Harmon and Bro. Pete Darnell officiating. Burial will follow in the Rock Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 11am until time of the service at 1pm Saturday at the funeral home.
Tom was born December 26, 1950, in Princeton, Indiana to the late Juste and Talma Bryan Saladin. He surrendered his life to God at an early age. In his teenage years, he was often found at the local jail witnessing to inmates. As did his siblings, Tom played the trumpet. It was not only his love of music but a ministry tool as he was sought after locally to play Taps at the graveside of funerals for veterans and often played it in church services. He attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina where he received his Master of Divinity. Afterwards, Tom was Ordained as a Baptist Minister and over the next several years he served as a Christian Day School Teacher and Pastor in both Wyoming and Colorado. He then made a move to Madison, Tennessee where he worked at Triumph Aerostructures building airplane wings for the C-130 and later the Osprey. He moved to Greenbrier to be with his wife, Cindy, in 1994. Tom was a member of Rock Springs Baptist Church. He retired in 2007 due to multiple health issues. He had a beautiful tenor voice and used this gift in choirs and as a soloist for much of his life. Tom loved his family deeply; however, God was his first love. He was active in serving his Lord in the form of leading Bible studies at Rock Springs and worship service on Sundays for a local nursing home until his health prevented him continuing. He loved going out to eat and short excursions with his wife and later in life could often be found with a good audio book or watching documentaries of all sorts.
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Kariann Hummel, son-in-law, Mark Hummel, father-in-law, Vardell Rawls, and a brother-in-law, Bob McDaniel.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Cindy Saladin; mother-in-law Elizabeth Rawls; son, Brian (Amanda) Saladin; daughters, Michelle Hummel, and Heather (Troy) Boyes; stepsons, Andy (Sabrina) Hall, and Eric (Miriam) Hall; 10 grandchildren; 5 step grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; brother, Jim (Mary) Saladin; and sisters, Vicky McDaniel, and Pat (Pete) Darnell; brothers-in-law, Tommy (Cindy) Rawls and Tim (Ann Marie) Rawls.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Rock Springs Baptist Church, 2155 Rock Springs Road, Greenbrier, TN 37073 or by visiting www.rsbaptist.org
Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Greenbrier is in charge of these arrangements.
