Longtime men’s ministry and disaster relief director Puckett dies

Longtime men’s ministry and disaster relief director Puckett dies

Tommy Puckett, longtime Alabama Baptist men’s ministry and disaster relief director, died Feb. 23. He was 74.

Before he retired in 2009, Puckett had served as director of the office of men’s ministry for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) for nearly 20 years. That office provided training to help associational and church leadership provide missions programs for men and boys.

As part of his role, Puckett also directed state Baptists’ disaster relief work, training volunteers and coordinating teams with efforts across the Southern Baptist Convention.

Rick Lance, SBOM executive director, called Puckett “an important state missionary leader” whose “tireless service” had been highly effective throughout the years.

“For many years, he was the point man for disaster relief,” Lance said. “This ministry took him all over the world and here in North America during times of disasters. Tommy was especially the prominent leader for Alabama Baptists during the difficult times of Hurricane Katrina.”

And even in retirement, he came forward to offer support during the historic outbreak of tornadoes in April 2011, Lance said.

Before coming to the SBOM, Puckett served as an associate for Baptist Men at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. He also served as a youth and recreation minister for several churches across North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Samford University in Birmingham and a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Puckett “had a passion for discipling men and boys,” Lance said, noting that he remembered Puckett’s sense of humor and contagious laugh. “He felt, and rightly so, that we needed to reach men and boys for Christ and disciple them in the faith.”

Puckett is survived by his wife, Elaine, and two sons, Jeffrey and David. (TAB)