Funeral Services for Tom Edward Vinson, Age 85 of Ava, Missouri will be held on Tuesday, August 11th, 2026 at The Cold Creek Cowboy Church, Ava, Missouri, beginning at 10:00 AM. . Burial will follow in the Turkey Creek Cemetery, Ava, Missouri with full military honors by the U.S. Air Force and Ava Troy Herd American Legion Post 112. Memorial donations may be made to The Turkey Creek Cemetery, Ava, Missouri.
Tom Edward Vinson, 85 years, 6 months, 17 days old, passed away on August 7, 2026, at his home in Ava, Missouri, with his family by his side.
On January 21, 1941, Tom was born in Douglas County, Missouri, to Orvil and Retha Virginia (Holt) Vinson. Tom went to school in one-room schoolhouses of Black Oak Flat and Pine Park in Douglas County. He graduated from Ava High School in 1958.
Tom was a U.S. Air Force Veteran and served in the Vietnam War. Tom joined the United States Air Force on April 18, 1962. After tech school, he was sent to the 401st TAC Fighter Wing at England Air Force Base, Louisiana. He became a crew chief on the F-100D Fighter Jet (the first supersonic jets). He was sent to several alert pads around the world, including Turkey and Taiwan. In the spring of 1965, he was sent to Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. He was in charge of 18 Fighter Aircraft. After he was discharged from the United States Air Force, he worked for Lockheed Service Company at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. They were training pilots for Vietnam. Then, they sent him to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where they repaired UH Helicopters for Vietnam.
In June 1970, he went back to school and became a television repairman. In 1974, he returned home to Douglas County and started building homes. In 1975, he started a trucking company, hauling lumber for Dee Cutbirth and Woodbrokers. In 1978 he started building grade “A” barns for Farmers.
On November 13, 1981, Tom and Shirley Ann Clark were united in marriage at Ava by the Reverend Halstead, and together were blessed with three daughters, Tonya, Heather, and Sarah.
Around 1985, he started building chain link fences for cemeteries. In the late 1980s, Tom worked for Bill Hale. He knew Bill wanted to sell the old Wilson House. He also knew that his sister Sharon Sanders and her group were looking for a place to purchase. A deal was made. There was no money for repair. Tom worked on it in his spare time for the next 7 or 8 years. Finally, in 1994, the Douglas County Museum opened. In 1996, Tom went back to driving a truck over the road. He loved driving by himself. He retired in 2014 at the age of 73.
In 1983, they bought part of his grandmother’s farm. In 2002, they bought half interest in his mother and father’s place. The other half belonged to a daughter. It became Vinson Farms.
Tom was a member of the Skyline school board for 9 years. He was in charge of Turkey Creek Cemetery for about 45years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Barbara DeVore, Janey Genius and husband Malcum, Sharon Sanders and husband Eddie; as well as his infant grandson, David Shane Poole, Jr.
Tom is survived by his wife, Shirley; his three daughters, Tonya Poole (Timmy); Heather Clark, and Sarah Harden (Andrew); grandchildren, Amanda, Tiffany, Jessica, Shawn, Toby, Dana, Lydia, and Caleb; Bother in law Virgil Devore; many great grandchildren; many nieces; nephews; extended family and friends.
