Friday, November 10, 2023
Please accept this replacement post since my earlier one had some unfortunate gaps and errors in it.
When I think of Tommy so many precious memories flow though my mind. Most are centered around working for him at the old Belk Department store on Front Street during the Christmas Holidays. He was kind in hiring a number of us college boys (including George Raftelis, Kamille Rasheed, Nicky Joseph, Al "Doc" Holiday, Gary Urtz) to earn money to buy our Christmas presents. He was always a kind and soft-spoken person with strong convictions who always sought to encourage and offer praise and share a funny story. I can still see him at the old cash register ringing up a sale in his "Drawer M"). Doc Holiday and I were privileged to be allowed to ring up our sales in his drawer as well. Lest I forget we had the honor and privilege to also work with three great ladies at Belk-- Miss Gladys Cribb, Miss Gracie Todd, and Miss Blanche Hutchinson (may they all rest in peace). I will always treasure seeing and talking to Tommy and Brenda at the Ball and Cue just a few years before Brenda's passing (Brenda and I “shared” four cousins since her mother Jimmie’s brother, Rev. Thomas Mercer married one of my mother's sisters). Georgetown was blessed to have Tommy among us, and he will be greatly missed. However, his warmth and legacy will live beyond all of us.
