Tommy McAdams

Tommy Gene McAdams, 85, of 6565 Central Park Blvd, Abilene, Texas, passed away on October 19th, 2023.

Visitation with the family will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Sunday, October 22 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, October 23, at St. Paul United Methodist Church, with Pastor Benji Van Fleet officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.

Tommy was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years Cora Nannette McAdams, his father Thomas Jefferson McAdams and his mother Lula Belle McAdams as well as his brother Bobby McAdams.  

Tommy and his wife and teammate Nan leave behind a large family legacy including 5 kids and 38 grandchildren and great grandchildren. Tommy is survived by daughter Christie Leedy of Abilene and her special friend and good friend to Tommy, Jim Hatchett Jr., along with her sons Corey Leedy and wife Kristy and their son Boone of Fort Worth, Texas and Jace Leedy and wife Jordan of Abilene, Texas and their daughter Jae and son Jax; son Gary McAdams and his wife Eryka of Killeen, Texas along with his son Andres McAdams, his son Jeremy McAdams and wife Mollie of Kilgore, Texas and their daughters Lillie, Maggie and Rubie; his daughter Amanda Bobbit and husband Eric of Overton, Texas and their son Bryson and daughters Mykenna and Ellisyn; son Thomas McAdams and his wife Laurie and son Damon of Abilene, son C. J. McAdams of Water Valley, Texas, son Michael McAdams of Abilene, daughter Morgan McAdams and McKensie McAdams of Houston, Texas, his daughter Tiffany McAdams and her daughter Peyton Case of Grapevine, Texas, and her son Caleb McAdams of Abilene, Texas, his daughter Madison Martin and her husband Garret of Abilene, Texas and their son Tommy, stepson, Grayson Martin and his wife Megan and son Jett of Abilene Texas, stepson, Gatlin Martin and his wife Reagan; son Robert McAdams and wife Sherry and daughter Mary of Gonzales, Louisiana, daughter Sarah of Dallas, Texas and son Luke McAdams and wife Ashley of Houston, Texas; son Mark McAdams, (youngest and most like his dad and just like with his mom the favorite child) and his wife Anna of Aledo, Texas, son Ethan McAdams and Kate McAdams, stepson Jake Heaps and wife Michelle, stepson Parker Berry and stepdaughter Elliston Berry.

Tommy was born December 7, 1937, in Big Spring, Texas to Thomas Jefferson and Lula Belle McAdams. He grew up in Big Spring with his brother Bobby. He grew up on a farm until second grade and then had to move to town. He said that is when he first met Nan Farquhar, who would become Nan McAdams. He said that he had loved her ever since he first saw her. They became high school sweethearts. He was the quarterback of the football team, and she was a cheerleader. They married in August of 1956 and remained married until Nan passed away in September 2019.

Tommy loved sports, and of course as we all know in West Texas, football was and still is king. Tommy was the quarterback of the football team and took his team to the state title game in 1955. Tommy carried that passion for sports into college where he played football (he was also a heck of a baseball player). He graduated McMurry University in 1960 and the journey to being a Texas High School teacher and coach began. With his devoted wife by his side, they moved to Mason, Texas, to Fredricksburg, Texas, to Hobbs, NM, to Haskell, Texas and finally to Abilene. Tommy was loved by his fellow teachers and coaches as well as his students and the athletes that played for him wherever he went. It was not uncommon for a former athlete to stop by the house to check in and see how Coach Mac was doing. He demanded and commanded respect from the kids he coached. As a former player Jason Marshall put it recently, he was “one of the best men you will ever meet! Tough. Honest. Fair., It was those traits that made him loved and respected. You always knew where you stood with him, and you always knew he treated everyone the same. He coached each of his kids for at least a brief time before he retired from coaching. It gave each of us a special connection with him. 

He not only coached but he built and remodeled homes. As a young kid, he was amazing to watch. He could draw plans for new homes, which he taught himself to do. He would design and build custom cabinets. He was a consummate professional and never cut corners. Like everything he did or knew, would try to teach his children the skills to help them be successful in life. He and Mark would laugh because Mark chose to be in the fire service and learned to tear houses apart as opposed to building them, but he was proud of that as well. 

Even though he had limited time and a limited coach’s salary, he would work extremely hard to find a way to pack his family up and go on trips to Colorado, California, Florida, Louisiana, etc. These trips were always a little adventurous and wild, and we always seemed to have some sort of issue that slowed us down on our journey, yet somehow, we always made it. He loved the outdoors, and he would do about anything to be able to go fishing and take us with him. 

He was proud of all his kids and grandkids. He passed along his legacy of toughness, love, and hard work. He was the most loyal person. It did not matter what sort of conflict or struggle you were going through, or whether you were his family, if you needed his help, he would give it. He and Mom (his teammate) would give the shirt off their backs and put themselves in harm’s way to make sure you were ok.

We didn’t understand the sacrifices he and our mom made to make those memories happen until later. However, if we could rewind and watch it as a movie, that movie would depict one of the toughest, mentally strong loving men you will ever know. He fought hard in this life; he was a true life warrior. He loved to coach and teach regardless of whether it was sports, Texas history, carpentry, fishing, Sunday school or life skills.  

People loved him everywhere he went. Tommy, Papa, Coach Mac was one of a kind. He loved his family with everything he had. He missed his wife, but he wanted to be here as long as he could for his kids, grandkids, great grandkids. He fought Father Time until he had nothing left. He endured pain and suffering here much longer than needed but, in that man, there was not one ounce of quit. That is the legacy every true man wishes to leave. Nice work Dad, your job here is done! Say hello to Mom.

Donations can be made in lieu of flowers by mail or online to: Ben Richey Boys Ranch and Family Program, PO Box 6839, Abilene, Texas 79608, http://benrichey.org in memory of Tommy Gene McAdams.