It is with great sadness that I post this topic. Our good friend Tom Douglas passed away at 71 years of age, this past Saturday, in Florida. It seems he had an infection in his stomach, but I don't know much more than that, regarding what actually contributed to his death. He did have a history of heart and other health complications. I just spoke very briefly with his wife Joyce; you can imagine how she's doing.
The impact Tom had on the pipe community is huge...beginning with an immense library of pipe knowledge through the pages of the Dr. Grabow Collectors Forum....his 25 years of service at the Grabow / Sparta pipe factory (where he retired in 1991)....his executive leadership over Mastercraft distribution for many years....and the pipe community in general. Tom was a real pipe man, grew up in tobacco country NC, and was simply a wealth of knowledge. He and I have tag-team arranged tours through the Sparta pipe factory many times, and my wife and I have been blessed to spend time with he and Joyce, and their little dog 'Buddy'. Tom also proudly served in the US military, and also served locally as City Manager in Sparta, NC, just to scratch the surface of his contributions far beyond the pipe community.
I am grateful for his friendship, and I will sorely miss my annual visits with him up in Piney Creek and Sparta. Your prayers for his wife Joyce will be much appreciated.
For those of you who knew Ed James "Ozark Southpaw", he's in blue with Tom's arm around him.
The impact Tom had on the pipe community is huge...beginning with an immense library of pipe knowledge through the pages of the Dr. Grabow Collectors Forum....his 25 years of service at the Grabow / Sparta pipe factory (where he retired in 1991)....his executive leadership over Mastercraft distribution for many years....and the pipe community in general. Tom was a real pipe man, grew up in tobacco country NC, and was simply a wealth of knowledge. He and I have tag-team arranged tours through the Sparta pipe factory many times, and my wife and I have been blessed to spend time with he and Joyce, and their little dog 'Buddy'. Tom also proudly served in the US military, and also served locally as City Manager in Sparta, NC, just to scratch the surface of his contributions far beyond the pipe community.
I am grateful for his friendship, and I will sorely miss my annual visits with him up in Piney Creek and Sparta. Your prayers for his wife Joyce will be much appreciated.
For those of you who knew Ed James "Ozark Southpaw", he's in blue with Tom's arm around him.
