Long before the inception of GRNC in 1994, Tom was a permanent fixture of the General Assembly when gun issues were at hand. Wearing his characteristic white shirt, black cowboy hat and bolo tie, Tom was known to pro-gun and anti-gun legislators alike (and dreaded by the latter).

When GRNC entered the scene in 1994, Tom’s exhaustive knowledge of statutes and the law--long before computers made such information available online--quickly made him indispensable. While we often joke about the titles (and “100% raises”) bestowed upon unpaid volunteers for the organization, Tom more than earned his title of Director of Research, and wore it with pride.

But for Tom’s efforts, most gun shows in the state might not exist: When highly paid anti-gun lobbyists pushed their first gun show bill, all of us overlooked one statute hidden in the text. When Tom brought it up, I said: “That just looks like a tax statute.” He replied: “No, it isn’t. Chapter 14 is criminal law,” and rushed to the legislative library to research it. When he discovered that it would have prevented most gun show promoters from getting “gun show permits” stipulated in the bill, his discovery became the lynchpin to killing it.

Even in declining health, Tom frequented the halls of the General Assembly with the GRNC Legislative Action Team and drove long distances to participate in GRNC events. His family reports that when beset by the stroke that ended his life, he was at his computer working for the Second Amendment.

I often kidded Tom that I planned to plagiarize what he said. The one that comes to mind, and that I have quoted many times is: “I was born as a Canadian *subject*. Now, I’m an American *citizen*.”

What Tom’s modesty prevented him from saying was that he was not only a citizen and a soldier, but a patriot.

I will miss him.

Armatissimi e liberissimi,

F. Paul Valone

DETAILS OF SERVICE Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 8300 Health Park, Suite 10, Raleigh, NC 27615.

Services handled by Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main St., Wake Forest, NC 27587, (919) 556-5811.

www.brightfunerals.com

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