Tammy Sue Malcom

Tammy Sue Malcom, former Cozad resident, passed away Sunday, January 8, 2023. Services will be held Monday, January 16, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Berryman Funeral Home Chapel. Casket will be closed. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery north of Cozad. There will be no visitation. Online condolences may be shared at berrymanfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Berryman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tammy sue was born, on a cold winter morning, in Gothenburg, Nebraska, on January 18, 1963 to Arven and Phyllis (Gardner) Malcom. Thinking she would not survive at a mere weight of 4 pounds 10 ounces, she was placed in a hospital incubator, where she stayed for a month until she weighed 5 pounds, she was a “fighter”.

Her young years were spent on a farm north of Cozad. She loved the animals, like rabbits, ducks, dogs and cats.

At 4 years old, there was one rooster that would chase her and corner her, trying to scratch her, until one day Tammy found out what she could do to it with a broom. They became friends after that, Tammy was a “fighter”. Tammy’s family never missed church and at a young age, she chose to be baptized into the Seventh Day Adventist Church and has followed her God ever since. She had long curls and people would stare at her and give her compliments. She learned to show off and “flip” her hair in public. She attended country grade schools and city schools in Cozad, Nebraska until after the 8^th grade. She then went to a private Christian School in Shelton, Nebraska. She was on the honor roll every year, held offices, and was awarded the “Who’s Who of American High School Students”. School seemed to be easy for her, but she studied hard and was a “fighter” and was determined to further her education. She attended 4 years at Union College in Lincoln and graduated being the first girl in both families to graduate from college. It was a proud day for her parents and grandparents to once again watch her walk down the aisle with honors. She continued her study in Social Sciences, taking double classed at Wesleyan, the University of Nebraska and graduated from Doane College with her degree. Although hard at times, she “fought” for her future. Now she was armed with her education and ready to “help others”.

When Tammy walked into a room, she was a presence to be noticed. She always had that beautiful hair and a catching personality. She liked to have friends. She now spent her whole life going to work every single day, visiting people who were poor, sad, abused or lonely. She brought many clients to her own home, fed them a meal, listened to them, gave some of them a hair permanent, helped find them jobs, or take them places in her own car on her own time. She attended court hearings with them, making sure they were treated fair by the court system, giving them advice and encouragement. Tammy “fought” for them and today they have better lives because of her effort. Tammy was married in 1985 to ling time love David Phelps and held her first job in Omaha at the Center of Aid for Abused Women. Tammy “fought” for the rights of women. Later she married Rob Shoemaker and they had a beautiful home in Lincoln. She had her first and only child, who died at birth, Tasnia Grace. She would have been 23 years old this year. Later she married her third husband, Rod Bell and moved with him to North Platte where she opened her own counseling practice. The couple bought a beautiful home high on a hill north of town where Tammy had her dogs and ferrets. On her way to work every morning she would stop by a farm pasture and say “hello” to the beautiful long horn cattle nearby. They began “waiting” for her by the fence every morning on her way to work. Have you ever seen the boots that are upside down on a fence post in the country? Tammy took one of her bright red high heels and put it on a fence post. The couple separated and Tammy stayed in North Platte. She took a job working for the prison community, again fighting for the rights of those who are incarcerated. A sheriff told me she worked too hard. Tammy kept busy with her garden, her church, her job and many friends. A while back, she seemed to be tired and sad, and not really interested in anything. Not the vibrant person everyone knew. At times would not answer the phone. Then people “noticed” things were a little bit not right. She quit her job, loaded up all her belongings and was striving to have a plan. Then the last few weeks she contacted, either in person or by phone, nearly every one she personally knew, friends, relatives and family. She was telling them things that disturbed them. They did not know it but Tammy had stepped out of the way and could not find her way back. A few saw a real problem and tried to help her and others did not recognize that she was saying “goodbye”.

On January 8, 2023, Tammy could no longer “fight”, not even for herself. She took her life.

To those who knew her she was the girl who “had it all”, looks, education, personality, and hair that was the envy of all. She was dearly, dearly, dearly, loved, and life will never be the same without her.

She leaves behind her dog “Domino” and a Guinea Pig, who surely had the best “animal” lives ever.

Deeply and fervently mourning her loss are her parents, Phyllis Gardner and Arven Malcom; her sister Tracy; and many, many relatives and friends.

She will be lovingly place next to her daughter, Tasnia Grace and her brother, Tim Malcom at Walnut Grove Cemetery north of Cozad. And by the way, Tammy would tell you that she did not go to Heaven. Her Bible tells her that those who have passed are like in a deep sleep waiting for Jesus to gather them up and meet Him in the air at his soon Second Coming to this Earth.

Her sister Tracy adds this Bible verse: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there will be no more death, no mourning, or crying or pain. These things will never again exist” Revelation 21:4.