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Thomas Inard Reed Sr.
 
b. November 26,1915  Newark, N.J.
d. September 29,1992  Panama City, FL
 
Thomas I. Reed Sr. was my beloved grandfather. I am the oldest child of his oldest child. Being the first grandchild, I shared a special bond with my grandpa. These pages will be a continuing work of love. As I collect family stories and remembrances, I will add them to the following pages.
 
Thomas Inard Reed was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 26,1915. His father, John Franklin Reed was a dock and bridge builder and a fireman and his mother, Ethel Kendall was a housewife like so many other women of the time.
 
 
John F. Reed & Ethel Kendall
 
Thomas had two sisters, both of them died young. He seemed very fond of them and spoke of them often. His older sister, Ethel Viola Reed was 2 years older than Thomas and died from complications of pneumonia when she was only 18 years old. They had a younger sister that he affectionately called Ida Belle. She was born some time after 1920 and died from Diptheria at the age of only 6.
Thomas' father died in 1935 while Thomas was serving in the 27th Infantry of the U.S. Army.
 
 
Thomas I. Reed, serial # 6717201, was inducted into the  U.S. Army, 27th infantry division as a private on October 18, 1934 at the age of  18 years and 10 mos of age. He was stationed on the island of Hawaii in a non-mounted division. He was honorably discharged after serving for 2 yrs, 4 mos and 7 days. Since he served during peacetime,   he was not involved in any battles, engagements, skirmishes or expeditions, he received no decorations, service metals or citations and received no wounds during his service. According to his discharge papers, he had blue eyes, light brown hair, a ruddy complexion and was 5 ft. 10 in. tall. At the time of his discharge on February 24, 1937, he was single, of excellent character and in good health. Under remarks, it was noted "enlisted to travel."

 

 
Thomas met and married my grandmother, Marie Viola Walsh Favata a little over a year after his stint in the Army. I've been told that they had been dating only a few weeks before they decided to marry on May 29, 1938. From the beginning they were a very loving, passionate couple.

Despite their short courtship, their devotion to one another would last a lifetime.

Thomas worked for the Lathrop Paper Co. until June 28, 1940, when he received a layoff notice. He still had all of his hair in this photo taken sometime before 1940. On the back is written:

 It looks like they might have been working on giving the guys nicknames. Naming them from left to right in the photo: Jimmy- "Short,Dark &", Guy- "Little Tough Guy", Lincoln Cairns, Thomas Reed-, Mr. Stewart.

**Interesting note:Lincoln Cairns was my Grandmother, Marie's Uncle. Her mother's maiden name was Lillian Agnes Cairns. Did Thomas meet his future wife through his buddy "Lincoln" at work? Or did he get work through his in-law?

None of us could ever remember Grandpa having a full head of hair. We were all told that when he was in his early 20's he had Thyroid surgery, which was fairly serious in those days and he almost died. One of the side effects from his illness was the permanent hair loss. We believe that it was during the time he was employed at Lathrop when this occurred, since he would have been about 23/24 years old and he still had a full head of hair in the photos.

This postcard was found which may correspond to that surgery. In those days a postcard was sent to a patient's next of kin to inform them of any hospitalizations. Phones were not prevalent in everyone's homes like they are today.

 

 The card is postmarked from Newark on July 27,1939. The notes in the margin : "Taken sick July 27 & came home  Aug 20 & went back to work Aug 28/39." On the line is written "Aug 8/12/39- Husband operated on. came home Aug 28/39"

Another postcard exists postmarked for the following year Aug 24,1940.

Other than a brief note: "Tom went to hospital on Aug 24,1940" there is no other information to give us the reason he was there. "Marion" was written on the line, but that might have been just a notation of next of kin.

A third postcard was found that may or may not be connected to the one in July. It revealed the tragic birth of Thomas and Marie's first child, a still born baby girl. She was born on December 11, 1940 at 6:37A.M. My grandmother, Marie, was told that she would not be able to bear any other children. It must have been a very difficult time for them. Thomas after being so ill the year before was laid off in June of 1940 from the Lathrop Paper Co., then another hospitalization that August, then the loss of their first child and finally the additional news that there would be no other children for him and his beloved Marie. Time would reveal a different tale for the young couple.

 

 

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