Flying L's Class of '59

Tom was the bravest man I knew.  He was my hero.  He always was there in
our 25 years of marrige to HELP me, no matter WHAT it was.  He put aside
his own worries for ME and never thought of himself first.  He was an
amazing husband.  His agenda was MY agenda which became OUR agenda,
whether it be real estate, opening a business for me, looking for
properties to buy, fighting foes in court, or just being my WING man,
my co-pilot.  Many times I was in the driver's seat but he stood beside
me no matter what the cost and could be counted on ANY time, ANY day,
or ANY where.  He WAS my soulmate.

HE never complained, was ALWAYS, ALWAYS smiling, charming, polite,
effervescent,  We spent every day together, he never had his own BUDS
to hang out with...I was his buddy.  He never went out to a BAR, a club,
or take off for a weekend with the "guys".  If he couldn't take me, he
wouldn't go.  He said he enjoyed my company more than any other person
he knew.  He'd forego spending time with others unless they were
"intelligent", "witty" or were "interesting to be around with".

 He called me his "movie star wife".  Always complimented me no matter
 what....he loved my cooking, however, If I served him a grilled cheese
 sandwich, he would tell me, "That was the BEST grilled cheese sandwich
 I ever ate,"   If I were asleep and woke up with a headache, he would
 volunteerily get up from a dead sleep and go get me an aspirin.  He
 would rub my feet, my back WHENEVER I asked, and many times without
 my asking.

He read the Bible regularly, praised God EVERY morning and had a special
"altar" place down by the beach where we lived where he would go to
THANK GOD for all the good things in our lives and EXPECT a Blessing
from Him.  Taught me to DEPEND on GOD for everything and THANK HIM,
THANK HIM, just THANK HIM continuously.

 He never, NEVER, took a drug, and was NOT on any medication...he
 believed in NATURAL things.  His body ached a lot, but he never stopped...
 he would move furniture, build a fence, change the oil in the cars,
 clean floors, never rested.  If he was lying down it was either because
 he was hurting or asleep.  He did not like TV, and found that watching
 SPORTS was just a waste of time.  He often said, "So many worship the
 GOD of sports".  His TV watching consisted of EDUCATIONAL subjects only
 but I would subject him to my favorites, i.e., Seinfeld or Raymond, (LOL),
 which he enjoyed with me.

Last year he had gotten a hernia which had not stopped him from from
working.  Although I continuously told him to have it taken care of, he
would resist because he didn't want the "down time" for recovery.  The
hernia increased in size greatly and protruded in his groin, but he
continued to be Tom.  Our intimate moments together never subsided either,
for he desired me as much as when we first were married (all the extra 50
pounds of me).   He believed he was in Fantastic shape, wore a size 33
pant, weighed 155 lbs.  could eat like a horse.  However, 10 years ago he
started to have difficulty swallowing food and took Prolosac reqularly.
He wasn't one to see a doctor very much and convinced himself he was in
GREAT shape...he would run on the beach regularly.

Then 2 weeks ago he started to complain of shortness of breath and some
minor pains in his chest.  But he dismissed it and self diagnosed himself,
although I wanted to see a doctor.  It was intermittent and he never had
any SERIOUS episodes and would just dismiss it.

The night he died he complained again, dismissing it by making a sandwich
and sitting down to watch a little TV.  Then it happened....he went into
cardiac arrest.

I lost my best friend...my soul mate...my roadie....my crewman...my lover.
If I had to write a book on how to be a GREAT husband it would be
all about TOM.

Dedee Royale