Tom Hancock Jr. Surveyor

NEBO, N.C. - Thomas D. "Tom" Hancock Jr., 62, of Sandcastle Drive, died Thursday, May 11, 2006, at Valdese General Hospital following a brief illness.

Mr. Hancock was born Aug. 27, 1943, in Gaffney and was a son of the late Thomas DeCosta Hancock Sr. and Sarah Branton Hancock. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandmother, Myra "Ah Mom" Branton. He graduated from Glen Alpine High School and then attended N.C. State University. He was employed by Mallonee Surveying for many years and continued working with Mallonee's successor company, TGS Surveying and Abernathy Associates. He worked closely with construction companies and loved handling the details of planning and layout of large construction projects.

Mr. Hancock was a founding member of the Dysartsville Volunteer Fire Department and also served with the N.C. National Guard Morganton unit. He was a member of Glen Alpine United Methodist Church and was an avid outdoorsman and naturalist. He loved woodworking, including making furniture and other crafts.

He is survived by his wife, Janice Stewart Hancock of the home; sisters, Sharon Mull and her husband, Dewey, of Glen Alpine, N.C., and Myra Brown and her dear friend, Dr. George Krebs, of Morganton, N.C.; a niece, Teresa Shackleford, her husband, Bob, and their son, Will, of Greensboro, N.C.; a nephew, Branton Brown of Morganton; his aunt, Pearl Hancock of Gaffney; cousins, Jerry and Brenda; sisters-in-law, Kaye Stewart Irvin of Nebo and Brenda Simmons and husband, Sidney, of Morganton and their daughters, Kimberly Baker, her husband, Scott, and their son, Elliot, and Kristy Price, her husband, Mike, and their daughter, Emma.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with the Revs. Sid Houk and T.B. Deese officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Saturday one hour before the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Dysartsville Volunteer Fire Department, 9184 NC 226 South, Nebo, N.C. 28761.

On line condolences may be made at www.sossomanfuneralservice. com.