Fred Thomas “Tommy” Tidwell

Fred Thomas Tidwell “Tommy” passed away peacefully at his home on February 11, 2026, at the age of 71.  A funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at the Taylor Funeral Home. Visitation is on Wednesday from 10:00 AM until the time of service.  Interment will be in the Tidwell Cemetery on Pine Hill Road.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Tommy was the son of the late Fred Tidwell and Paula Myers. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, James (“Popeye”) and Pauline (“Momma”) Austin; his father-in-law, Allen Oliphant; and his brother, Steve Myers.

He is survived by the love of his life and devoted wife of 41 years, Debbie Tidwell; his children, Beth Tidwell, Anthony (Shinobu) Fisher, and Kevin (Vanessa) Fisher; his grandchildren, Kumi (Michael), Janie, Kai, Addison, and Libby; and his great-granddaughter, Sydney; his siblings, Donna England (Kenny), Joel Myers, Keifer Tidwell (Mary), Mark Tidwell (Illke); sister-in-law, Jennifer Myers.

Tommy owned and operated his own construction business, building his own home and many others. He later worked for France as an electrical engineer, where he eventually retired. A true mechanical genius, Tommy could repair or build just about anything.

He was only a few flights away from earning his pilot’s license when he lost his eye in a bush-hogging accident. That setback never slowed him down. He built several cars, including a Chevelle and a 1953 Chevy Coupe, which Keifer helped build. He also built a trike he proudly named “The Mother Buzzard,” assembled from a Volkswagen rear end, a Yamaha front end, and a specially built engine that he had shipped in and assembled himself. He even built a trike for his friend, Lewis.

Tommy was a great teacher of life skills and work ethic—many can attest to that. He believed in hard work and responsibility and, Tommy taught boys to be men.”

Tommy was known as a “whoo whoo” coffee man. When you heard “whoo, whoo,” you knew you’d better have a cup of coffee in your hand and be bringing it to him.

Tommy lived a life full of adventure and kept everyone around him on their toes—especially his beloved Debbie, who stood by her man and loved him well.