Sad news came in June with the unexpected death of my sweet, funny and loving Uncle Tom. He was the second oldest sibling in my dad's family. There's a funny story about when my dad was born. Uncle Tom was in the army and over in Europe during WWII. When he came back from his post, his commanding officer said, "Congratulations, Tom! You're wife had a baby boy!" My Uncle Tom looked at him and said, "My wife isn't pregnant!" The telegram simply stated that Mrs. Arthur T. Cain had delivered a healthy baby boy. What the commanding officer didn't realize was that Uncle Tom was a "junior" and that my grandmother was on her 11th child!!
I could always count on Uncle Tom to share the family history with me--and boy, did he have good stories! He was never too busy to sit down with one of his nieces or nephews to just talk. In fact, he welcomed it. No questions were off-limits and he always wanted to make you laugh. He was constantly giving you compliments and tried to explain what gifts we were to him, our parents and the Cain Family at-large. His six children and his beautiful wife of many, many years are feeling his great loss, as are we. I am so thankful that I have my many memories of him.
Uncle Tom lived in Zionsville, Indiana--right outside of Indianapolis--where my dad spent a large portion of his childhood. While we were there, my dad and Aunt Mary (dad's sister) took us around and showed us the Catholic school they attended, the church where my dad was an alter boy, the library where their Aunt May worked, the town square, the Colt's stadium, the graveyard where my grandfather and his brothers and sister are buried, and all the places that my dad got into mischief--and there were many!
We want to take another trip up there to spend more time. I can't wait!!
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