TOM WILBURN Thomas Luther Wilburn, II, died at Smith Oaks, Lowndes County, Mississippi on July 27, 2015, at age 96. Services will be at Annunciation Catholic Church, Columbus, MS, Friday, July 31, 2015, at 10:00 AM with Father Robert Dore officiating, followed by graveside services with burial at Smith Oaks near Artesia, MS. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until the time of the service. Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. He was born at Smith Oaks near Artesia, Lowndes County, MS, on November 30, 1918. The third son of William Russell Saunders Wilburn and Estelle Marie Smith, he lived all his life at Smith Oaks. Tom attended local schools and graduated from Artesia High School. He attended United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, and later graduated from Mississippi State University in 1940. In 1941 he became a pilot in the Army Air Corp and served as a flight instructor during World War II. He returned to farming at Smith Oaks in 1943. His love of horses and his need to supplement his farm income led him to follow in the foot steps of his great uncle, Elbridge Smith. He began a career as a Harness Race Horse trainer and racer that lasted 40 years. He won more than 2,000 races from California to New York, from Illinois to Florida and trained 1,000 horses during his career. There were few harness horse trainers from the South and Tom was the only trainer with an all African American crew. He is a member of the Illinios Harness Racing Hall of Fame. After returning from Harness Racing in 1974, he continued to train horses at Smith Oaks to send to various race tracks. Tom Wilburn became a successful commercial cattle farmer and was named Mississippi Cattleman of the year in 1991. Tom was a man of many talents, well known as an artist, story teller and colorful personality. He began drawing horses in his early twenties and developed into an accomplished artist. His drawings of horses have been the subject of many exhibits. An excellent book, "Tales of Tom Wilburn", has been recently written and published by Dr. Jeannine K. Smith. He is preceded in death by two brothers and one sister, Charles Smith Wilburn, wife June Riggs, William Russell Saunders Wilburn, Jr., wife Elise Hudson, and Mary Ann Wilburn, husband Hugh Young. He is survived by two sons, Thomas Wilburn, III, and David Wilburn, four grandchildren, and five nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Will Hardy, Bryan Henry, Chris Vickery, Tom Brown, Duffy Neubaum, Joey Phillips, Doug Yelverton, and Newton Guerry. Memorials may be made to Friends of Annunciation Catholic Church, 823 College St., Columbus, MS, 39701 or Annunciation Catholic School, 223 North Browder St., Columbus, MS, 39702.
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