Obituary of Thomas Wayne Bollin

Thomas Wayne “Tom” Bollin, of Ozark, Alabama, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 16, 2025, at Oakview Manor Nursing Center in Ozark, following a long struggle with cirrhosis of the liver and cardiovascular disease. He was 82. Service arrangements will be shared by the family. Tom was born on April 21, 1943, in Cordell, Oklahoma, to Jack Foster Bollin and Viola Mae (Flaming) Bollin. The son of an Army Sergeant First Class, he spent his childhood in Augsburg and Munich, Germany, as well as Olympia, Washington, and Clinton, Oklahoma, attending Department of Defense (DOD) schools during his parents’ time stationed overseas. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from November 11, 1960, to March 11, 1964. After boot camp at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, he served as a deck hand on an oiler that sailed the waters of South and East Asia, with time in ports including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. He loved telling stories about life on the sea and on shore. Tom earned his GED and later completed an Associate of Science at Enterprise State Junior College in Enterprise, Alabama, on June 2, 1976. Throughout his life he worked in a wide range of roles, most notably in sales—including cars, jewelry, Avon, insurance, mobile homes, sheds, and RVs. He also served as a bank manager and worked for the Social Security Administration. A lifelong sports lover, he enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and baseball, and enjoyed watching them on TV even more. Tom was married to Erma Jean (Esterly) Bollin on October 4, 1989, in Enterprise, Alabama. They remained together until her passing on November 7, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife, Erma Jean. He is survived by his sister, Patti Bollin Eisenbarth; his son, Eric Scott Bollin; and his daughter, Trisha Wynn Bollin; and his grandchildren Olivia D’Anne Bollin, Rosalynn Josephine Bollin, and Lucas Samuel Bollin.