HARTFORD, Ky. — Sherman Thomas “Tom” Timbrook, 76, of Hartford, passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. He was born March 3, 1949, in Owensboro, Kentucky, to the late William Edwin Timbrook and Theresa Mildred Mulligan Timbrook.
Tom was an amazingly resilient, hard-working and widely-admired individual. He enjoyed his youth, and was known for his practical jokes and general tom-foolery. Much fun was made with his very close friends, Tom Simmons and Larry Boswell. By the time he was in his late teens, he was the heartthrob of West Louisville/Sorgho, as well as the most likely to succeed.
However, an unfortunate fate skewed his path. As Tom planned to graduate high school and move on to studying to become a physical therapist, he was involved in a serious car crash that injured his spine. This accident left him with no feeling in the majority of his legs, meaning he would never walk again. With the support of friends and family, he exercised and improved his mobility. He was eventually able to walk with the use of two canes. Not to be deterred, he began attending Brescia College, and then moved to Birmingham, Alabama, to study Pharmacy.
After graduating, Tom moved back home to Sorgho and opened his own pharmacy across the street from Red’s on Highway 56. His success in this venture led him to building, owning, and operating the business that would be known as Sorgho Drugs (or “Tommy’s”, as the locals like to call it). Sorgho Drugs was not only a pharmacy, it was a little bit of everything! Capitalizing on the lack of competition for miles, the store had gas pumps, a deli, VHS rentals, and all of the essentials, such as shampoo, milk, and dog food.
Tom would eventually sell the business after a successful 20 years in operation; it was time to slow down and start thinking about retirement. He decided to buy property next to his late brother, Phil, where he built his new home as well as investments in new adventures and interests, everything from an ATV to roam his many acres of forest, to his large deck overlooking Lake Washburn, where you could often find him, enjoying the very scenic views. Not to mention his many dog and chicken friends! Tom passed away just as he would have liked; not in a nursing home or suffering at home from a sudden ailment. Instead, he was very comfortable, at the hospital, surrounded by some of his closest family members. Tom will be missed by many, but not ever forgotten.
He lived life too big! While we, his family, are sad to see him pass, we know he had a fuller life than most of us could ever dream of.
He is survived by a daughter, Tasha Timbrook (Brendan Depue); son, Tristan Timbrook; grandson, Eliot Depue; sisters, Karen Roark (Tony) and Sue O’Bryan; and nieces and nephews, Scott Blair, Travis Timbrook, Lisa Timbrook, Krystal Caudill, Sarah Galloway, Eddie O’Bryan, and Millie Timbrook, of Costa Rica.
A prayer service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 22, at James H. Davis Funeral Home and Crematory. Visitation is from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Ohio County Humane Society, 1802 Country Club Road, Hartford, KY 42347.
