Thomas Atkinson Barfield, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2021 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Tommy was born on January 1, 1935 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and attended Catholic High School, where he was a pitcher for the 1953 state championship baseball team. He received a degree in mechanical engineering from LSU, where he also pitched for the baseball team. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army and, for most of his career, worked with Ormet Corporation in Burnside, Louisiana. He was a kind-hearted, gentle soul, even in illness, with a beautiful smile. His faith and devotion shined through all aspects of his life, and he particularly enjoyed being a member of the Legion of Mary, serving as a prison minister, and assisting the Missionaries of Charity at St. Agnes Parish with their shelter, soup kitchen, and catechism ministries.
His lifelong love of baseball included countless hours of throwing batting practice, teaching pitching mechanics, and coaching little league teams for his sons and their friends, as well as for the Big Buddy Program. His coaching swan song was leading a then 10-year old grandson’s struggling team to the end-of-the season tournament championship. After retirement and before his illness fully manifested, he only missed LSU baseball games for serious family obligations, and we trust he is already marshaling heavenly help to turnaround our Tigers.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Daniel Ramsey Barfield, Jr. and Lou Glenn Atkinson Barfield, daughter Julie “Jill” Barfield Hamilton, brother Daniel Ramsey Barfield III, S.J., brother-in-law Edwin Allen “Jigger” Graves Sr., and brother-in-law Rev. Louis Chopin “Choppy” Cusachs and wife Carol Lee. He is survived by his wife of nearly 64 years Julie Cusachs Barfield, sister Sally Barfield Graves, brother William Tisdale Barfield M.D., daughter Claudia Barfield LaBorde and husband Mark, daughter Jill’s widower Robert “Bobby” Hamilton and wife Angelina, son Thomas “Tim” Atkinson Barfield Jr. and his wife Nan, and his son Louis Ramsey Barfield and wife Lauren Mestayer Barfield M.D. He is also survived by his grandchildren Natalie LaBorde, Thomas LaBorde and wife Brianne, Chris LaBorde, M.D. and wife Danielle, Julie Hamilton, Jonathan Hamilton, Michael Hamilton, Thomas Barfield, III and wife Lily, Ann Marie Barfield, Clare Barfield, Daniel Barfield, Louis Ramsey Barfield, Jr., Juliana Barfield, Mia Barfield, Carter Barfield and Margot Barfield, as well as his great grandsons William LaBorde and Ezra LaBorde. He is also survived by many cousins and friends, including his double first cousin, Catholic High teammate and close friend Daniel Ramsey Atkinson, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank his wonderful caregivers, Eunice Watkins, LeNell Osborne, Candy Bailey, Konnikki Dupuy, Ty Gibson, Curstan Brown, Dee Grant, Ashley Lee, Alyssa Mitchell, and Quandra Mosby, as well as the nurses, staff and doctors at Ollie Steele Manor and Our Lady of the Lake.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, with the family gathering at 9:00 am, and burial following at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Memorial donations may be made to Missionaries of Charity, 3629 Cottage Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63113-3539; Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808; or Catholic High School, 855 Hearthstone Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806.
