R everend Thomas Pendleton Grissom, Sr. was born on October 2, 1893. He was a graduate of Clark College and Gammon Theological Seminary.

Rev. Grissom began preaching in 1930 in the all-black Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church where he served eight churches. He also served six years as District Superintendent of the Rome District.

Rev. Grissom officially retired from the church after 35 years of service. He remained active as Elder-in-Residence at Central United Methodist Church. He faithfully attended the North Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church through June 1998.

In 1974, at the age of 80, Rev. Grissom became the Founding President of Grissom Funeral Home. His ministry of pastoral care for the bereaved and suffering was extended through his role as Mortuary Minister. At the age of 106, Rev. Thomas Pendleton Grissom, Sr. died December 12, 1999.