Portrait of Tom Espy. IMB Photo
William Thomas “Tom” Espy, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in the United Kingdom, died Dec. 13, 2024, in Canton, Georgia. He was 87.
Tom was born Oct. 19, 1937, in Gadsden, Alabama, to the late Lee E. and Mary Espy. He attended Auburn University and received the Bachelor of Arts from Howard College (now Samford University), Birmingham, and the Master of Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
He came to faith in Christ as a child and felt the call to full-time Christian service as a teenager. After attending college, he worked briefly for an engineering company before joining the U.S. Army. While home on leave during Christmas of 1957, he began to date Ann Leslie. They continued writing letters to one another and became engaged. On Aug. 25, 1962, Tom and Ann were married.
Tom felt called to preach and pursued his theological education. During a seminary chapel, he heard a missionary speak and felt impressed by the needs of the world. He had heard others say when the Lord called them to world missions, they knew God would also call their spouse. He prayed that God would call Ann.
After seminary, he served as pastor for several churches in Mississippi and Alabama. In 1992, on the December cover of The Commission magazine, he saw the question, “Can you really say: Lord, I’m willing to go…, if all the while you’re planning to stay?” He felt the Lord speaking to him and talked with Ann about her sense of call to missions. They both agreed they were willing to go.
In 2000, the International Mission Board appointed Tom and Ann missionaries to Wales. They had already served in Wales for two shorter terms.
Tom is survived by Ann, his wife of 62 years; two sons, Terry Espy (Brenda), and Todd Espy (Bonnie); a daughter, Amy Sproule (Stephen); and a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Dec. 27 at South Canton Funeral Home & Chapel, with burial at Georgia National Cemetery, Canton.
Read an obituary here.