G'pa: Thomas Calvin Lear know as G'pa and Tommy was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on September 24, 1905. He was the youngest of 10 children born to the union of Henry Green Lear, and Martha Hamlin Lear. They were married January 12, 1888. He received his early education in Shreveport. When he was about 10 years old he moved to Los Angeles, California, where older sister, Dorothy, and brother, Attlee had moved. He resided in Los Angeles until his death. He continued his education by attending the public schools in Los Angeles. On May 20th, 1925, he married Nora Euniece Lewis. They had 5 children. Their names are Cornelia "Corey" Euniece, Thomas "Fuzzy" Henry, Norida "Chickee" Louise (my mom), and her twin Norma Lucille who was stillborn. There also was a son between Cornelia and Tom, but he died when he was born.
G'pa and G'ma were married 54 years but on June 14, 1979, G'pa passed away. He had just retuned home from a camping trip. At 5:13 p.m. G'pa and my brother, Edward, went outside to cut the grass. They went to the garage where the lawnmower was. G'pa lifted the heavy gas lawnmower by himself and carried it a short distance and then put it down outside the garage. At around 5:30, my brother was still mowing the grass when he turned around and saw G'pa lying on the ground. He put G'pa head on his lap and told his friend to go get our G'ma. They called the paramedics. An ambulance came and they put G'pa on a stretcher. They transported him to Martin Luther King Hospital in Los Angeles. He died of a massive heart attack when I was 8 years old. His meaningful and full life on earth came to an end rather suddenly, and he went to his heavenly rest.
In the 1930's he and G'ma owed and operated the Lear's Louisiana Kitchen on Central Avenue, near the Dunbar Hotel in Los Angeles. He worked at Tail o' the Cock on La Cienaga in Los Angeles for many years. And he was the Maitre'd at the Marineland Restaurant in Palo Verde, California until he retired in 1957. He enjoyed good health, and he and his family were active, doing many things together, especially traveling that made the latter years some of the most happy and fruitful years of his life. He enjoyed his grandchildren and he spent time with them. He has 11 grandchildren. Now, numerous great-grandchild. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, traveling and partying. He owned a boat, motor home and paid cash for everything, because he didn't want to owe anybody. He was the first one to buy a television set when they first came out in the late 1940's. He was extremely outgoing, and had a great strong personality. He was a people person. But G'ma and him are back together again. We love and miss you tremendously G'pa.
He was 73 years old when he passed. He is buried with his mother, Martha Hamlin Lear.
His siblings were: Henry James, Dorothy, Martha Beulah, Craig Elwood, Earnest Green (Bud), William Atlee, Mary Green, Joseph Dewey, Ruthie.
G'pa and G'ma were married 54 years but on June 14, 1979, G'pa passed away. He had just retuned home from a camping trip. At 5:13 p.m. G'pa and my brother, Edward, went outside to cut the grass. They went to the garage where the lawnmower was. G'pa lifted the heavy gas lawnmower by himself and carried it a short distance and then put it down outside the garage. At around 5:30, my brother was still mowing the grass when he turned around and saw G'pa lying on the ground. He put G'pa head on his lap and told his friend to go get our G'ma. They called the paramedics. An ambulance came and they put G'pa on a stretcher. They transported him to Martin Luther King Hospital in Los Angeles. He died of a massive heart attack when I was 8 years old. His meaningful and full life on earth came to an end rather suddenly, and he went to his heavenly rest.
In the 1930's he and G'ma owed and operated the Lear's Louisiana Kitchen on Central Avenue, near the Dunbar Hotel in Los Angeles. He worked at Tail o' the Cock on La Cienaga in Los Angeles for many years. And he was the Maitre'd at the Marineland Restaurant in Palo Verde, California until he retired in 1957. He enjoyed good health, and he and his family were active, doing many things together, especially traveling that made the latter years some of the most happy and fruitful years of his life. He enjoyed his grandchildren and he spent time with them. He has 11 grandchildren. Now, numerous great-grandchild. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, traveling and partying. He owned a boat, motor home and paid cash for everything, because he didn't want to owe anybody. He was the first one to buy a television set when they first came out in the late 1940's. He was extremely outgoing, and had a great strong personality. He was a people person. But G'ma and him are back together again. We love and miss you tremendously G'pa.
He was 73 years old when he passed. He is buried with his mother, Martha Hamlin Lear.
His siblings were: Henry James, Dorothy, Martha Beulah, Craig Elwood, Earnest Green (Bud), William Atlee, Mary Green, Joseph Dewey, Ruthie.
G'pa: Thomas Calvin Lear know as G'pa and Tommy was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on September 24, 1905. He was the youngest of 10 children born to the union of Henry Green Lear, and Martha Hamlin Lear. They were married January 12, 1888. He received his early education in Shreveport. When he was about 10 years old he moved to Los Angeles, California, where older sister, Dorothy, and brother, Attlee had moved. He resided in Los Angeles until his death. He continued his education by attending the public schools in Los Angeles. On May 20th, 1925, he married Nora Euniece Lewis. They had 5 children. Their names are Cornelia "Corey" Euniece, Thomas "Fuzzy" Henry, Norida "Chickee" Louise (my mom), and her twin Norma Lucille who was stillborn. There also was a son between Cornelia and Tom, but he died when he was born.
G'pa and G'ma were married 54 years but on June 14, 1979, G'pa passed away. He had just retuned home from a camping trip. At 5:13 p.m. G'pa and my brother, Edward, went outside to cut the grass. They went to the garage where the lawnmower was. G'pa lifted the heavy gas lawnmower by himself and carried it a short distance and then put it down outside the garage. At around 5:30, my brother was still mowing the grass when he turned around and saw G'pa lying on the ground. He put G'pa head on his lap and told his friend to go get our G'ma. They called the paramedics. An ambulance came and they put G'pa on a stretcher. They transported him to Martin Luther King Hospital in Los Angeles. He died of a massive heart attack when I was 8 years old. His meaningful and full life on earth came to an end rather suddenly, and he went to his heavenly rest.
In the 1930's he and G'ma owed and operated the Lear's Louisiana Kitchen on Central Avenue, near the Dunbar Hotel in Los Angeles. He worked at Tail o' the Cock on La Cienaga in Los Angeles for many years. And he was the Maitre'd at the Marineland Restaurant in Palo Verde, California until he retired in 1957. He enjoyed good health, and he and his family were active, doing many things together, especially traveling that made the latter years some of the most happy and fruitful years of his life. He enjoyed his grandchildren and he spent time with them. He has 11 grandchildren. Now, numerous great-grandchild. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, traveling and partying. He owned a boat, motor home and paid cash for everything, because he didn't want to owe anybody. He was the first one to buy a television set when they first came out in the late 1940's. He was extremely outgoing, and had a great strong personality. He was a people person. But G'ma and him are back together again. We love and miss you tremendously G'pa.
He was 73 years old when he passed. He is buried with his mother, Martha Hamlin Lear.
His siblings were: Henry James, Dorothy, Martha Beulah, Craig Elwood, Earnest Green (Bud), William Atlee, Mary Green, Joseph Dewey, Ruthie.
G'pa and G'ma were married 54 years but on June 14, 1979, G'pa passed away. He had just retuned home from a camping trip. At 5:13 p.m. G'pa and my brother, Edward, went outside to cut the grass. They went to the garage where the lawnmower was. G'pa lifted the heavy gas lawnmower by himself and carried it a short distance and then put it down outside the garage. At around 5:30, my brother was still mowing the grass when he turned around and saw G'pa lying on the ground. He put G'pa head on his lap and told his friend to go get our G'ma. They called the paramedics. An ambulance came and they put G'pa on a stretcher. They transported him to Martin Luther King Hospital in Los Angeles. He died of a massive heart attack when I was 8 years old. His meaningful and full life on earth came to an end rather suddenly, and he went to his heavenly rest.
In the 1930's he and G'ma owed and operated the Lear's Louisiana Kitchen on Central Avenue, near the Dunbar Hotel in Los Angeles. He worked at Tail o' the Cock on La Cienaga in Los Angeles for many years. And he was the Maitre'd at the Marineland Restaurant in Palo Verde, California until he retired in 1957. He enjoyed good health, and he and his family were active, doing many things together, especially traveling that made the latter years some of the most happy and fruitful years of his life. He enjoyed his grandchildren and he spent time with them. He has 11 grandchildren. Now, numerous great-grandchild. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, traveling and partying. He owned a boat, motor home and paid cash for everything, because he didn't want to owe anybody. He was the first one to buy a television set when they first came out in the late 1940's. He was extremely outgoing, and had a great strong personality. He was a people person. But G'ma and him are back together again. We love and miss you tremendously G'pa.
He was 73 years old when he passed. He is buried with his mother, Martha Hamlin Lear.
His siblings were: Henry James, Dorothy, Martha Beulah, Craig Elwood, Earnest Green (Bud), William Atlee, Mary Green, Joseph Dewey, Ruthie.
