Tom Muskrat

(From Clark Funeral Home)

Tom Kelly Muskrat, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and servant of the Lord, passed away on April 25, 2025 at the age of 96 years.

Born on October 1, 1928, at Cowskin Prairie near Grove, Oklahoma, Tom was the beloved son of Jake Claude and Elva Mae (Mouck) Muskrat. He grew up with a deep faith and sense of calling that would shape his life’s work in ministry and service.

Tom married the love of his life, Betty Marie Paden, on August 27, 1950, at Mill Creek Baptist Church near Noel, Missouri. They shared 67 years of marriage, until Betty’s passing in 2017. Together they built a loving family and shared a life rooted in faith and compassion. They were blessed with two sons, Mark Bronson Muskrat and Tom Kelly Muskrat Jr.

Tom was a beloved friend and member of the Neosho community. He found joy in the simple pleasures of life—especially his regular golf outings with friends at the Neosho Golf Course. Friday nights were a special tradition, spent in the warm company of close church friends over dinner, a routine he cherished for many years. A devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tom rarely missed a game and loved cheering on his team through every season.

A lifelong learner and dedicated scholar, Tom graduated from Pineville High School in Missouri, also having attended schools in Grove, Oklahoma, and Carson City, Nevada. He earned a B.A. degree from Kansas State Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kansas, in 1956, and later a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1958.

Tom was ordained to the Gospel Ministry on February 29, 1948, at Mill Creek Baptist Church, where he first served as pastor. Over the decades, he pastored churches across Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kansas, and Arizona, including: Mill Creek Baptist Church, Noel, MO, Tom Street Mission, Webb City, MO, Avilla Baptist Church, Avilla, MO, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Monett, MO, North Miami Baptist Church, North Miami, OK, First Baptist Church, Jay, OK, Corinth Baptist Church, Picayune, MS, Asbury Baptist Church, Asbury, MO, Shawnee Baptist Church, Topeka, KS, First Baptist Church, Grandfield, OK, and San Carlos Apache Baptist Church, San Carlos, AZ.

He also served with the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, ministering to students at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, and later as General Missionary to the Choctaws and Chickasaws in Southeastern Oklahoma.
Tom concluded his ministry as Director of Missions for the Shoal Creek Baptist Association in Southwestern Missouri. During his 16 years of leadership there, he oversaw the construction and complete funding of the Associational Office and BSU building and helped establish a full-time student ministry at Crowder College.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Betty, his brothers: Joe Muskrat, Jake Muskrat, and Sam Muskrat, and granddaughter Ashley Muskrat.

He is survived by his sons Mark Bronson Muskrat of Neosho, Missouri and Tom Kelly (Shawnda) Muskrat Jr. of Carl Junction, Missouri; granddaughters: Roxanne Muskrat, Karen Braiser, Jocelyn (Zeke) Farley, and Lindsay Slater; grandson, Nicholas (fiancée Hadley) Muskrat, brother, James Muskrat of Joplin, Missouri; sisters: Mary Ann Smith of Norman, Oklahoma, and Ida Louise Dunham of Aurora, Illinois.

Tom Muskrat’s life was a testimony of steadfast faith, humility, and service. His legacy continues through the many lives he touched in his decades of ministry, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Tom's honor may be made to Solace House of Joplin, Missouri, c/o Clark Funeral Home, PO Box 66, Neosho, Missouri 64850.

Visitation for Tom will be Monday, April 28, 2025 from 5:30-6:30pm at the Clark Funeral Home Chapel of Memories in Neosho, Missouri. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 10:00am, also at the Chapel of Memories. Internment will be at Dice Cemetery in Fairview, Missouri.