Thomas Joe Flanery was born on February 3rd, 1966 to Billy Joe and Stefanie Johanna (Mann) Flanery in Lawton, Oklahoma. He graduated from Bonham High School in 1984. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in Germany and was honorably discharged in 1988.

He married his first wife Marita and had two children with her. Then he started the adventure of a lifetime when he married Denise Lynn Cross on July 20th, 2001. He worked in the kitchen for the VA Medical Center in Bonham Texas. In June 2006 Tom was chosen as a local songwriter to participate in an episode of Best Of America by Horseback for the RFD TV show. It was an honor and he was happy he could say he had actually been on television! In September 2006, he took a leap of faith and moved to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a published songwriter. He was blessed enough to be able to transfer to the VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro, TN as a Cook Supervisor while pursuing that dream. Along the road, he met and worked with many amazing songwriters, played in some amazing places, including his bucket list item of the Blue Bird Cafe in Nashville. His dream of having one of his songs published came true when a song he co-wrote was recorded by Curtis and Lucky and played on radio stations in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. So he drove all the way back to Texas and sat in the Brookshires parking lot in Bonham TX to hear it playing on the radio. After that he had marked everything off of his musical bucket list. He soon found his true passion with photography while visiting our little piece of heaven on earth in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There he loved to see and photograph the wildlife of bears, deer, turkey, coyotes and the majestic mountains. It was there that he could "press the reset button of life". In addition, we have met so many fellow photographers and others who shared the love of the Smokies. A host of those people have become friends even though many we have never met. We spent so many days just enjoying God's handiworks.

Tom is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Denise, children, Dustin (Amanda), Sabrina, Karen (Donald), David and Deon. Grandchildren, Bridgett, Katlin, Azyon, Maleeya Kameron and Malachi and his precious great granddaughter, Azya. Brothers, Billy (Stacy) Flanery & Joseph (Heather) Flanery. Half sister, Emily Cato. Aunt, Charlotte Edwards, Uncles, Thomas Mann, Peter Schmidt, Donnie (Avonell) Cartwright, and Franz Mann & numerous cousins. Long time best friends, Jimmie (Vanessa) Grokett & JC (Gail) Picco. Special friends Ron (Cherie) Goodman, David (Kim) Jeffrey, Darwin (Susan) White and Brad (Lauren) Marley. Our special Sonic family lead by our good friend Mike Brandon and a host of other friends that are too numerous to count.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the True Vine Freewill Baptist Church, 530 Carter Lane, Smyrna TN 37167 or P.A.W.S (Photographers Association for Wildlife Support) PO Box 121, Ooltewah TN 37363.

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