Tom Greenlee, the long time owner of the Forest County Sports Center (from 1972 until he retired and sold it in the mid to late 90's) passed away this past week at his home in Virginia. I am unsure of his age, probably around 80 or so.
During my Bohemian period in the 90's, I worked for Tom at the shop which was a full line Orvis dealer. With the exception of my Dad, he was as fine a man as I've ever known. He was warm, kind and always there for pretty much everybody and he did all of it without needing to be noticed or recognized. Ask the folks of Tionesta while Tom was mayor when the Memorial Day weekend tornado of 1985 set its crosshairs on their town.
Tom served 3 tours of active duty in Vietnam as a helicopter gunship pilot. He earned a bushel basket of decorations for his service. He eventually succumbed to the effects of Agent Orange exposure from his time in Vietnam. I spent a lot of time talking to him when we worked together and I knew he was in Vietnam and that he had been a pilot. But I never knew any of the rest of it about the medals and the Agent Orange. This was Tom. It was rare to hear him complain and even more rare to hear him blow his own horn although he had every right to do both.
The world is a lesser place without Tom Greenlee and I am privileged to have known him and call him friend.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=184550204
During my Bohemian period in the 90's, I worked for Tom at the shop which was a full line Orvis dealer. With the exception of my Dad, he was as fine a man as I've ever known. He was warm, kind and always there for pretty much everybody and he did all of it without needing to be noticed or recognized. Ask the folks of Tionesta while Tom was mayor when the Memorial Day weekend tornado of 1985 set its crosshairs on their town.
Tom served 3 tours of active duty in Vietnam as a helicopter gunship pilot. He earned a bushel basket of decorations for his service. He eventually succumbed to the effects of Agent Orange exposure from his time in Vietnam. I spent a lot of time talking to him when we worked together and I knew he was in Vietnam and that he had been a pilot. But I never knew any of the rest of it about the medals and the Agent Orange. This was Tom. It was rare to hear him complain and even more rare to hear him blow his own horn although he had every right to do both.
The world is a lesser place without Tom Greenlee and I am privileged to have known him and call him friend.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=184550204
