Thomas "Mack" McDowell Brabham
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Thomas McDowell "Mack" Brabham, 77, of Summit, passed away Feb. 21, 2022, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center surrounded by his family.
Visitation is 11 a.m. Saturday at The Mallard Chapel at Lake Dixie Springs. A memorial service will follow at noon. Hartman-Jones Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.
Mack "T Mack" Brabham roared into this world on Jan. 6, 1945, in McComb.
Five years later, his parents, Evelyn Day Brabham and Theo Mack Brabham, brought into this world his two best friends, twin brothers, Joe and Jack.
Together with his family, cousins and classmates, Mack lived, loved, competed and litigated in Mississippi most of his life.
Mack graduated from McComb High School in 1963 with a scholarship to play football at Tulane University in New Orleans. After creating life-long friends through his football experiences at Tulane, he briefly moved to Memphis, Tenn., upon graduation in 1967 to work at Ford Motor Co. There, he met a young, beautiful woman also from McComb named Patti Leigh Billings. Little did they know, their meeting in an elevator in Memphis would lead to 54 years of marriage together.
After moving to Mobile, Ala., to work at IBM, Mack was uninspired by his career and applied to and was accepted into University of Mississippi Law School.
After receiving his law degree in 1975, he practiced briefly in Liberty before moving his practice to McComb. His first office was on Main Street, where he practiced law with his good friend Clyde Ratcliff before permanently moving his practice to 729 Delaware Ave., where he thrived as a ferocious and respected litigator for 31 years. He worked 60-plus hours a week passionately fighting for his clients.
Mack and Patti raised their two children, Trey and Erika, in McComb. Mack worked hard so he could play hard and travel with his family. Some of their best memories include numerous trips to the Smoky Mountains, Orange Beach, Ala., and the Cayman Islands, where Erika learned to scuba dive and Trey met his future wife, Eilleen Sabillon-Brabham. He also declared himself the "Pat Riley" of the Summit Rotary League Basketball Club in his time coaching his son's team in the mid-1990s.
Upon his retirement in 2007, Mack spent his time with his family, friends and classmates. During his final years, he wrote impassioned and popular letters to the editor to the Enterprise- Journal on politics and world events. Though "occasionally" controversial, he welcomed opposite opinions and cared deeply about Mississippi.
Despite graduating from Ole Miss, Mack was an avid Mississippi State fan and had an undying love for his fur babies. He loved his pipe and Black Gold tobacco from Milan's Tobacco Shop in Roanoke, Va., playing bridge, and talking football and politics.
For the last five years, Mack enjoyed time with his grandchild, Audrey Joyce Odom, daughter of Erika and Marshall.
T Mack graciously argued his final case on Feb. 21, 2022.
Mr. Brabham is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Patti Leigh Billings Brabham of Summit; son, Thomas McDowell "Trey" Brabham III (Eileen Sabillon-Brabham) of Austin, Texas; daughter, Erika Laine Brabham Odom (Marshall) of Fairhope, Ala.; brothers, Joe Earl Brabham (Anne) of Magnolia and Jack Butler Brabham (Adair) of Covington, La.; nieces and nephews, Kim Brabham Dorr (Mitch) of McComb, Kori Brabham Murray (Kevin) of Baton Rouge, Michael Brabham (Alex) of Covington and Machaela Brabham of Tampa, Fla.; very close family friends, David Penton (Barri) of Madison, Deborah Penton Richardson of Summit, Lee Penton (Kassie) of Madison, Joe Penton (Samantha) Jackson and Billy Smith of Summit; a grandchild, AudreyJoyce Evelyn Odom; and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
He was a larger-than-life personality with a tremendous presence that left a deep footprint deep in the soil of Mississippi, feared by his adversaries, loved by the rest, respected by all. He will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his name be made to the American Heart Association, ASPCA and PALS Rescue.
Share condolences at www.hartmanjonesfuneralhome.com.