Paul Thomas Boroughs, “Tommy,” passed away peacefully July 15th from a sudden stroke.
Born June 13, 1939 in Conway, South Carolina to Paul and Tibba Boroughs, Tommy, was the oldest of three children, brother to Bobby Boroughs and Beth Stubbs. He graduated Dillon High School in 1957.
He majored in Political Science at the University of South Carolina and graduated in 1962. Accepted into US Marine Corps Officers Candidate School, Tommy served in the Marines.
He was proud of his service as navigator for an F-4 jet from 1962-1965. At the time he separated from the Marines, he had achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. In 1966 Tommy married Barbara Ann Johnson.
Upon his graduation from Duke Law School in 1968, he and Barbara moved to Winter Park, FL. In the coming years, they welcomed Lizbet, Kennan, and Anna into their family.
Tommy led his law firm, Boroughs, Grimm, and Bennett, as senior partner for two decades. Afterword, he capped his legal career as Senior Partner at Holland & Knight.
A prolific volunteer in the Orlando community, he founded the Black/White Alliance where he hosted countless barbecues throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Tommy was elected to serve as Orlando Utilities Commissioner from 2001 to 2008. He volunteered to create a dedicated Veteran’s court, and also volunteered his expertise to the Guardian Ad Litem program. He was chairman of the Florida Energy Commission 2006-2008. In 2014 he was given the Valor Project Award of Excellence by the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association.
A dedicated and loving husband, father and grandfather, Tommy was wonderfully generous, thoughtful, and had an amazing sense of humor. He and his family shared years of family dinners, game nights, beach vacations, and road trips. Duke Basketball was a passion of his for many decades. He and Barbara shared 56 years of marriage, filled with friends, neighbors, and grandchildren, before her death in September 2021.
He is survived by his children, Lizbet Boroughs, Kennan Boroughs and Anna Polack, as well as his grandchildren, Sage, Quinn, Cade, Logan, and Benjamin. He is also survived by his devoted sister-in-law Mary Johnson, his brother Bobby Boroughs, and his sister Beth Stubbs.
Donations can be made to Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.
