Thomas Nathaniel Cogsdale, 87, son of James Lee Cogsdale and Clarice Miles Cogsdale, died in the Southampton Memorial Hospital on Sunday, January 6, 2013. Tom was born and grew up near Newsoms, Virginia, graduating from Newsoms High School in 1942. During WW II, he served for one year with the Merchant Marines, and for 1½ years with the Army Quartermaster Corps in the Phillipines. After the war, he worked for Hercules for 4 years and then for the Rural Electric Coop in Windsor for 22 years, retiring on disability in 1984.
Tom was married to Nell Williams for 7 years, and, after her death, married Nancy Bailey Bon and lived in Sedley for 43 years, moving to the Village at Woods Edge in 2011. Before moving to Sedley, he was a long-time member of Newsoms Baptist Church, and later of Franklin Christian Church. In 1968, he joined the Sedley Baptist Church, where he became a trustee, choir member and treasurer of the mens' bible class. He was the former treasurer of the Sedley Ruritan Club and an active member of the Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Bailey Cogsdale; his sisters, Letitia (husband P.D. Crumpler, deceased) of Sunbeam, and Jackie (husband Charles Arrington Jr.) of Courtland; his stepchildren, Bruce Bon of Corrales, NM, and Ann Speight of Irmo, SC; and nieces and nephews, June Taylor, David Taylor, Suzanne Gates, Betty Jo Taylor and Martha Lewis (Dee Dee) Taylor; Pamela Roper; Dan Crumpler and Patsy Fowler; James Lee Cogsdale, Ercelle Vann and Lori Jean Cogsdale; and Charles Arrington III and Kevin Arrington. He is also survived by 6 step grandchildren, 16 great nieces and nephews, and 6 great-great nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he is pre-deceased by his wife, Nell Williams Cogsdale; twin brother, James Essex Cogsdale; sisters, Josie Lee Taylor and Mabel Ellis; step son, Douglas Williams; and nieces, Faye Whitmore and Kim Gurganus.
A memorial service, with military honors, will be held at 11 am on Saturday, January 12, at the Sedley Baptist Church, with a visitation immediately following in the Fellowship Hall. Memorial gifts, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Sedley Baptist Church, 17494 Johnson's Mill Road, Sedley, VA 23878, or to the Sedley Volunteer Fire Department, c/o Bobby Harrell, PO Box 86, Sedley, VA 23878. www.wrightfuneralhom.org