Koke Thomas "Tom" Eason, Jr.

Koke Thomas “Tom” Eason, Jr., age 84, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 8, 2025, in Bremen, Georgia.

Tom was born on February 20, 1941, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He graduated from Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Mississippi and proudly served in the U.S. Navy for two years aboard the USS Truckee before attending Louisiana State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture.

A talented landscape architect, Tom began his career in St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida, where he contributed to the design of Busch Gardens and Bok Tower Gardens. He later became Chief of Design and Construction for the City of Atlanta Parks Department, where his work shaped Atlanta’s Central City Park, the Atlanta Zoo, and numerous other parks across the city.

After returning to Mississippi, Tom dedicated many years to education at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Jackson County Campus, where he taught Drafting and CAD and later served as Dean of Business Services.

Beyond his professional achievements, Tom had a deep love for adventure and the outdoors. He enjoyed flying, boating, fishing, golfing, and traveling. He was also deeply committed to the Gulf Coast Chapter of Children’s International Summer Villages (CISV), where he helped organize and supervise youth summer camps in the U.S. and Europe and served on the national board.

Tom is survived by his sister, Carolyn Eason Peterman; half-sister, Ellen (John) Chauvin; half-brother, Wayne (Tammy) Eason; daughters, Robin (Brian) Campbell and Heather (Troy) Fetterley; their mother, Marla Eason; and five beloved grandchildren, Julia (Connor Gibbs) Campbell, Madeline Campbell, Nathan Campbell, Ethan Fetterley, and Sean Fetterley.

Tom’s family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the staff of Haralson Nursing and Rehabilitation and Sacred Journey Hospice.

His legacy lives on in the landscapes he designed, the students he inspired, and the family and friends who loved him.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 15, 2025, at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 1726 15th Street, Gulfport, MS. Friends may visit one-hour prior to service. Interment will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport, is honored to serve the family of Koke Eason, Jr.