Givens Jr.,Thomas Cale

Thomas Cale Givens Jr., 61, of Tazewell, formerly of Pearisburg, went to be with the Lord on February 1, 2012, at Bluefield Regional Medical Center in Bluefield, W.Va. Tom was born on June 3, 1950, in Pearisburg, and was the son of the late Thomas Cale Givens Sr. and Betsy Knight Givens Haskins. Tom graduated from Giles High School in 1968. In 1972, he received a B.A. degree from the University of Richmond, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1975. Tom practiced law for 31 years in Tazewell, and retired from Gillespie, Hart, Altizer, and Whitesell in 2006. Among his law partners through the years were Jack Chambers, Fred Combs, Carl Gillespie Sr., Carl Gillespie Jr., Harris Hart, Robert Altizer, Eric Whitesell, Brad Pyott, Buck Brittain, Richard Patterson and Chip Hurley. He was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church of Pearisburg. Since 1975, he was an active member of the Tazewell Lions Club. He also served as President of the Tazewell Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Tazewell County Bar Association. The Tazewell Rotary Club honored him as a Paul Harris Fellow. Tom’s foremost passion was the Tazewell Torpedoes Swim Team, which he coached for 35 years. He was proud to have helped more than 1000 boys and girls grow into adulthood. His teams won the Highlands Swimming Association championship 14 times. Tom founded the Highlands Swimming Association, and served as its first president. He also coached the Giles Swim Team for five years before he moved to Tazewell. Tom is survived by his sister, Louise Barrow and her husband, Malvern Barrow, both of Richmond; and his nieces, Macon Barrow, of New York City, N.Y., and Ashley Barrow, of Richmond. He is also survived by two aunts; an uncle; and nine first cousins; as well as Shawn Hamlin, (who was like a son). Funeral Services will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday, February 4, 2012, at the Givens Funeral Chapel in Pearisburg, with the Rev. Tom Conley officiating, with burial following in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends Friday evening at the Peery St Clair Funeral Home in Tazewell, from 6 to 8 p.m., and before the funeral service at the Givens Funeral Home from 12:30 to 2 pm. Friends are invited to contribute to a church of their choice or to the American Kidney Fund at 6110 Executive Blvd., #1010, Frederick, MD 20851. Online condolences can be sent to the family at givensfuneralhome.com.