A Tribute to Thomas

Never does Veterans Day pass without me spending an inordinate amount of time thinking of my maternal grandfather, Thomas John Gray (1894–1934).

Veterans Day after World War I was celebrated as Armistice Day. I honor both references to this important day deeply in my heart.

I loved him, though I never met him, since he died nearly two decades before my birth in 1953. But, oh, what an astronomical impact he's had on my life, and that of my daughters and yes, even my granddaughter, Layla.

You see, Thomas was a veteran of World War I. My grandfather fought overseas in that war and was injured in battle. Think about that – he was injured in battle. His death years later was attributed to wounds from the war.

Much to our glee, as you can understand, Thomas survived long enough to have a daughter – my mother, Dorothy – in 1920.

It's clear that if Thomas had not survived the war, and if he had not been strong enough in the final years of his life, that I would not exist. Nor my children, nor my granddaughter. So in a way, on this date each year, I thank him for my life. For our lives. 💖

Below is a copy of an image from one of my mother's scrapbooks. Mom was quite an artist, and this illustrates a dedication she made to her father. The accompanying text shows more about Thomas Gray.

Finally, on each Armistice Day/Veterans Day, I listen (repeatedly) to a song taught to me by mother. It's a wonderful inspiration created by George M. Cohan (another Irish lad like my grandfather!); here is a rendition of "Over There" from the movie “Yankee Doodle Dandy” that starred Jimmy Cagney. So join me, and turn up your speakers!

Thank you, grandfather! And thank you to all veterans for their service!