Thomas Henry Kelly III died April 14, 2026, surrounded by loved ones at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Alabama.

Tom, affectionately referred to as Tommy, was born January 28, 1949 in Enterprise, Alabama. He was the first of four children born to Grace Cunningham Tonge Kelly and Thomas Henry Kelly II. Tom was a baptized Christian, and a graduate of Enterprise High School where he played tuba in the Marching Band. Always the avid showman, he was known to skillfully swing the tuba during performances.

Tom had a lifelong love affair with the discovery and creation of beauty. As a young man his search extended throughout the US. When drawn to a particular place he immersed himself in its culture and community. Tom always found a new interest that captured his attention. In the Blue Ridge Mountains he studied String Music, Old Time music, and homesteading. He was a founding member of The Chicken Spankers Old Time Band, who clinched the National String Band Championship in 1977, despite fierce competition. His fusion of Irish tunes and old time mountain was an innovative approach to a highly traditional craft. Tom was featured on “Fresh OldTime String Music,” an album of tunes and recordings collected by Mike Seeger, which is archived at the Library of Congress.

On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, he dug deeper into the world of traditional Irish Music, and was a virtuoso at flute, 5 string banjo, and penny-whistle. He became highly skilled at collecting, restoring, and selling period antiques. While in Maryland he funded his college education by painting houses which he approached with an artistic eye and precision. He earned a BA in Music from Washington College and met his future wife, Joan Berwick, with whom he welcomed his beloved daughters Grace and Erin. He salvaged and recreated an 18th century home and filled it with antiques and music, all while he practiced as a Music Therapist for the State of Maryland Mental Health System.

A later chapter in life reunited Tom with his high school sweetheart Laura; creating homes in Alabama, Maine, Tennessee, and Georgia, where together, they continued learning of art, music, and antiques. He was eternally curious and observant of human nature. He volunteered his time feeding those less fortunate, performing music at senior homes, churches, and pretty much anywhere someone would listen.

Tom was quirky and complicated: a character worth knowing and being known by. His heart was enormous, but fragile. May his legacy teach us all to search for meaning in the beauty of music, art, traditions, and people, that others may have overlooked or discarded. Take a moment to talk, share ideas, and be excited about the exquisite simplicity of everyday things.

He was predeceased by his grandparents Robbie and Rudy Lott; parents Grace and Tom; his sister Theresa, and precious daughter Erin Theresa Berwick Kelly. 

He is survived by daughter Grace Kelly Wright (Jamil); grandsons Isaiah Outlaw Hackett and Quentin Kelly Hickman; brother Pat (John Patrick) Kelly, sister Kathleen Edwards (Curtis), and brother Robert Cullen Kelly (Mary); as well as niece Emily Edwards Carr (Gary).

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 11:00 A.M. at Meadowlawn Cemetery, Enterprise, AL, and another at a later date in Millington, Maryland.