Thomas Hackney, Jr

WILSON - Thomas Jennings "Tom" Hackney, Jr., 89, died Wednesday, December 23, 2009.

Funeral, Monday, 11 AM, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church.

He was born in Wilson County on June 8, 1920, to the late Thomas Jennings and Evelyn Jones Hackney. Preceding him also were sisters, Ellen Hodges Parker and Evelyn Windham and a sister-in-law, Pat Hackney.

A member of the 1941 graduating class at UNC-Chapel Hill, Zeta Psi Fraternity and Gorgon's Head Lodge, he enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor and served in the Pacific Theatre as a Lieutenant Senior Grade with four years of service.

After the war, he returned to Wilson and joined the family firm - Hackney Brothers Body Company. In 1956, he became president and served for 45 years.

His service to his fellow man was extensive and span nearly 50 years. On the state level he was a director of the News & Observer from 1971-91. He served as chairman of the NC Citizens for Business and Industry for 1981-82 and was awarded their Distinguished Citizenship Award. That organization inducted him into the NC Businessman's Hall of Fame. He was chairman of the UNC Center for Public Television and served on the Duke University Hospital Advisory Board.

In Wilson, he served six years as a city commissioner and was a member on the boards of the Salvation Army, Greenfield School and the Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport Authority. Barton College held a special place in his life and there he was trustee for over 50 years with 20 years as chairman. He was the unanimous choice for the inaugural Wilson-Barton Partnership Business Leadership Award. There were two terms of service on the St Timothy's vestry.

Surviving is his wife of 46 years, Janet Musser Whitaker Hackney; daughters, Ann Whitaker-Sauls of Raleigh and Virginia Whitaker Kibler and husband, James "Doc" Kibler of Cave Spring, GA; sons, Thomas Jennings Hackney III and wife, Jennifer, of Wake Forest and Thomas Musser Whitaker and wife, Maria, of Virginia Beach, VA; grandchildren, Mary Carr Dowd and husband, Austin, of Cary, Hannah Whitaker and Sally Whitaker of Virginia Beach, VA, and Emily Hackney and Jackson Hackney of Wake Forest; sisters, Elizabeth Williams of Tarboro and Sally Lindley of Houston, TX; brother, Robert H. Hackney of Wilson as well as many nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggest to Saint Timothy's Episcopal Church, PO Box 1527, Wilson NC 27894; Greenfield School, PO Box 3525, Wilson NC 27895; or Barton College, PO Box 5000, Wilson NC 27893.

Friends are invited to call at the home after the funeral.