I miss him too Herman. Going to see the light in West Point. Double dating in my 57. Drag racing each other and getting special discount from Mrs. Garner at the White Tower. Great times Herman great times.
Tommy was quite a guy .I didn't get to know him until we started as Sophmores at HHS .Guys going out for baseball got to work out with the football team prior to actually practicing Baseball. After practice it would be Tommy, Syd , Smith, Schlenk and I getting into all kinds of things.Tommy lived with me the last 8 weeks of our Senior year. He charmed my Mom and Dad like you wouldn't believe . He always got the biggest steak ! I remember that he always got his shirts pressed instead of ironed. He was a great friend . We lost contact for many years as I could not find him in the Carolinas . Rick Moore found him at a local Health Care Facility in January . Between Syd , Rick , Mike Crawley , Stony Creery and myself, we visited him about twice a week . He made great improvements and was planning to get a new suit for the reunion .He promised us that he would WALK into the reunion and he would have . I'm so glad that I got Yogi schlenk and Tommy on the phone together for about 30 minutes one day, about two weeks before he passed. Tommy laughed and smiled like the Tommy of old .I couldn't believe the phone call that I got from Syd on a Friday evening that Tommy wasn't going to make it. A sad day for us all , A true pal that I'll never forget. He was a part of a very special group of guys that always had each others back . I'm sure he's looking out for all of us now . R.I.P. Old Friend .
I played sandlot football with Tommy, Herman, Poe, and others behind the old WLEE station at Broad St....he could punt a football back then even!! We played football together at Brookland Jr. High on the only undefeated team Brookland had when we were 9th graders--what a team! Lindsey, Hicks, Bob Miller, Jud, Curtis, Gil, Pfitzner, Shuleeta, thirteen of us lettered that year---I had a blast with these guys! Tommy punted and kicked extra points--the boy had big feet!!! I saw him at the nursing home 2 weeks before he passed away! He was chewing tobacco!! Had sunglasses on!! I witnessed to him and we had a great conversation. Before I left I gave him a Christian tract and told him I loved him and would get back to see him---it would turn out too late for that, but I got the words in that he needed to hear. May he rest in peace! We are all sincerely blessed to have had such a good friend in Tommy. Ken Grubbs
Boy is this bringing back the memories.I was vp of the knights my senior year and remember Tommy well.I had forgotten that Tommy was chaplin ....and who could forget Mr. Johnson our sponser with those pink socks.I was not a football player or famous at the school.My only claim is getting my picture in the panthian for rideing my motorcycle to school, a 305 superhawk..the biggest bike honda made at the time.. One of my regrets is not being there the day the picture was taken of the knights for the panthian. I remember all you guys.. and I think of our days often. I never married and retired at 55 from lockheed martin. I live in Georgia now with my border collie,Oreo. . I was sorry to hear about Tommy..We all had some good times..I remember going around and disrupting the meetings of the other clubs at our meetingsThe knights were a group of good old rebels that needed a place to gather. Hi to all you guys...live long and prosper...
I, too, would like to add a comment about Tommy, As already stated , Tommy a rock solid friend and proud Panther.
He and I were good teammates for years on the football and baseball teams - you could not ask for a better teammate !
Darn thing - our kind and thoughtful classmate Lawrence Heath paid Tommy a visit in the Glen Allen healthcare facility. Tommy and I spoke - this probably 6 weeks prior to my drive back for the Reunion. Tommy sounded strong, laughing at some of our HHS highjinks - we planned on meeting up at the Reunion but.........
Will miss him alot,
Billy ( Yogi) Schlenk
ps, On the funny side, Post 244 had a Legion ballgame one Sunday south near Colonial Heights in '66. I was to ride w/ Tommy in his hot Cheville (?). He was running late and I heard him way up on Mountain Road tearing down to the Schlenk's . Once we went east past Route 1 and hit Interstate 95, Tommy said, " Yogi , we have batting practice in 22 minutes. I bet we'll make it ! " WE DID !
VAROOM !!! Fastest I've ever been in a car- 132mph !. ( I blamed my 0-4 plate perforamnce on still shaking from the drive ! )
Herman Hicks
I lost a very good friend and a true Panther
Stephen Nicholas
I miss him too Herman. Going to see the light in West Point. Double dating in my 57. Drag racing each other and getting special discount from Mrs. Garner at the White Tower. Great times Herman great times.
Lawrence Heath, III
Tommy was quite a guy .I didn't get to know him until we started as Sophmores at HHS .Guys going out for baseball got to work out with the football team prior to actually practicing Baseball. After practice it would be Tommy, Syd , Smith, Schlenk and I getting into all kinds of things.Tommy lived with me the last 8 weeks of our Senior year. He charmed my Mom and Dad like you wouldn't believe . He always got the biggest steak ! I remember that he always got his shirts pressed instead of ironed. He was a great friend . We lost contact for many years as I could not find him in the Carolinas . Rick Moore found him at a local Health Care Facility in January . Between Syd , Rick , Mike Crawley , Stony Creery and myself, we visited him about twice a week . He made great improvements and was planning to get a new suit for the reunion .He promised us that he would WALK into the reunion and he would have . I'm so glad that I got Yogi schlenk and Tommy on the phone together for about 30 minutes one day, about two weeks before he passed. Tommy laughed and smiled like the Tommy of old .I couldn't believe the phone call that I got from Syd on a Friday evening that Tommy wasn't going to make it. A sad day for us all , A true pal that I'll never forget. He was a part of a very special group of guys that always had each others back . I'm sure he's looking out for all of us now . R.I.P. Old Friend .
Kenneth Grubbs
I played sandlot football with Tommy, Herman, Poe, and others behind the old WLEE station at Broad St....he could punt a football back then even!! We played football together at Brookland Jr. High on the only undefeated team Brookland had when we were 9th graders--what a team! Lindsey, Hicks, Bob Miller, Jud, Curtis, Gil, Pfitzner, Shuleeta, thirteen of us lettered that year---I had a blast with these guys! Tommy punted and kicked extra points--the boy had big feet!!! I saw him at the nursing home 2 weeks before he passed away! He was chewing tobacco!! Had sunglasses on!! I witnessed to him and we had a great conversation. Before I left I gave him a Christian tract and told him I loved him and would get back to see him---it would turn out too late for that, but I got the words in that he needed to hear. May he rest in peace! We are all sincerely blessed to have had such a good friend in Tommy. Ken Grubbs
Sanford Bryant
Boy is this bringing back the memories.I was vp of the knights my senior year and remember Tommy well.I had forgotten that Tommy was chaplin ....and who could forget Mr. Johnson our sponser with those pink socks.I was not a football player or famous at the school.My only claim is getting my picture in the panthian for rideing my motorcycle to school, a 305 superhawk..the biggest bike honda made at the time.. One of my regrets is not being there the day the picture was taken of the knights for the panthian. I remember all you guys.. and I think of our days often. I never married and retired at 55 from lockheed martin. I live in Georgia now with my border collie,Oreo. . I was sorry to hear about Tommy..We all had some good times..I remember going around and disrupting the meetings of the other clubs at our meetings
The knights were a group of good old rebels that needed a place to gather. Hi to all you guys...live long and prosper...
William F. (Yogi) Schlenk, Jr.
I, too, would like to add a comment about Tommy, As already stated , Tommy a rock solid friend and proud Panther.
He and I were good teammates for years on the football and baseball teams - you could not ask for a better teammate !
Darn thing - our kind and thoughtful classmate Lawrence Heath paid Tommy a visit in the Glen Allen healthcare facility. Tommy and I spoke - this probably 6 weeks prior to my drive back for the Reunion. Tommy sounded strong, laughing at some of our HHS highjinks - we planned on meeting up at the Reunion but.........
Will miss him alot,
Billy ( Yogi) Schlenk
ps, On the funny side, Post 244 had a Legion ballgame one Sunday south near Colonial Heights in '66. I was to ride w/ Tommy in his hot Cheville (?). He was running late and I heard him way up on Mountain Road tearing down to the Schlenk's . Once we went east past Route 1 and hit Interstate 95, Tommy said, " Yogi , we have batting practice in 22 minutes. I bet we'll make it ! " WE DID !
VAROOM !!! Fastest I've ever been in a car- 132mph !. ( I blamed my 0-4 plate perforamnce on still shaking from the drive ! )
Lora Charles (Case)
Tommy was a real sweetheart! But u guys are the best being there with him til the end. U should all feel special about that. Love u all!