In the early days, Tommy Sabo lived on Davidson Drive and was best friends with Cliff Sanders, Bill Sloan and Roger Price who all lived nearby. As he grew older, Tommy was friends to everyone. He was a very funny guy with a quick smile. He and Hal Hill became best friends and lived together for quite awhile in California. Tom was such a friend of Hal, to this day Hal Hill has a picture of Tommy hanging on his wall.
Tom earned a PhD in counseling and in addition to his own private practice, he worked considerably with the Indian Nation near Porterville, CA. When Tom died in the car accident, the Native Americans participated in his memorial service. They respected him that much, as do we all. Porterville is not an easy place to get to but Cliff Sanders, Jim Brown, Hal Hill, Ralph Shamas, Boyce McFarland and possibly other classmates made it to his funeral. Bless you Tom for the friendship and memories you left behind ... a couple I might tell at a later date.
Tommy and I were friends all thru Jr. high and high school. He was a great guy, don't ever remember him not being in a good mood. We both had Cushman Eagles, his was white and mine was maroon, we were always tinkering with them to get them to go faster. You couldn't be friends with Tommy without being friends with Cliff Sanders too, which was great. Cliff was a great guy too, always fun to be around.
When I've talked with friends about my life in the 60's they can't believe the memories I have of the great times we had back then. Tommy and Cliff were part of why those times were so great.
Tommy was always such a fun guy, I have to tell one story about him entitled TOUGH BORDER GUARDS.
It took time to set up parents and get them to believe we were only going to Ruidoso. Of course, RALPH SHAMUS, CLIFF SANDERS and TOM SABO really intended the trip to Juarez to be the highlight of their sophomore year.
They lost the good 'rock' radio station crossing the mountains and eventually turned off the classical station, the only one their car radio would pick up. Upon arrival at the El Paso/Juarez border, the guards would not let them cross. They tried several entrances into Juarez but the guards seemed particularly intent on not letting them through.
Boy were they hacked! Did a conspiracy between their parents and the border guards exist? No, they had chosen November 22, 1963 as the day to skip school and go to Juarez. Do you remember where you were when you learned President Kennedy had been shot?
Tom Sabo The Sabo’s moved into 925 Davidson Drive in the summer of 1960 in time for Tommy and I to start 7th grade at South Jr. High. We Sloan’s lived 2 houses to the south at 929. In between lived the Ross’s with the oldest son Johnny 2 grades ahead of Tommy and I and the same grade as Tommy’s brother Bobby. I am using Billy, Tommy, Bobby, Johnny, etc. as we were all called by the diminutive until high school. (Dear Patsi Hughes - please correct any of my misplaced memories.)
The Everhart’s lived on the north side of the Sabo’s. The oldest son Ronnie was a year older than Tommy, oldest daughter Diane(?) was a year younger than us. Their second son was 3 years younger. The Everhart children attended St. Peter’s Catholic schools so were not well known to our other school friends. The Hughes’ lived directly across the street and the Tuckers’ to the north of the Hughes’. Patsi Hughes and Mary Joe Tucker were a grade younger than Tommy and I.
One interesting sidelight is about 1962 the Everhart’s sponsored a teenage Cuban refugee girl who was their daughter’s age.
For Joe - I hope your father was able to tell you about Cliff Sanders, one of your father’s closest Roswell friends. Cliff lived just around the corner from us on the southeast corner of Union and Summit.
I was very glad Tommy moved to Davidson Drive as this was the 1st time a Davidson Drive boy was in the same grade as I was. We quickly started playing together at every opportunity. The Sabo’s backyard basketball hoop quickly became one of our favorite places and Bobby even deigned to play “horse” with us occasionally. The Sabo’s did not have a tree in the front yard so the neighborhood “football field” had one goal at the Everhart’s tree and the opposite goal at the Ross’s driveway. We usually played 2 hand touch but the “touch” became very hard by the end of the game in order to shorten the time devoted to “I got you!”, “No, you didn’t!”
As we moved into high school, Tom’s and my interests diverged and while remaining friends we were not as close as we were in junior high. You will have to rely on others to tell tall tales of your dad’s high school escapades! I will always remember your father as the composed, cool dude who was quick with a smile and a helping hand.
I was really glad to talk with Tom at length when we both returned for the 30th reunion. We shared stories about our families, where we had lived, and what we had been doing for the past 30 years.
As Patsi mentioned, you significantly resemble your father’s looks. I wish you the best and want you to know your father was a great friend to many of us.
James A "Jim" White
In the early days, Tommy Sabo lived on Davidson Drive and was best friends with Cliff Sanders, Bill Sloan and Roger Price who all lived nearby. As he grew older, Tommy was friends to everyone. He was a very funny guy with a quick smile. He and Hal Hill became best friends and lived together for quite awhile in California. Tom was such a friend of Hal, to this day Hal Hill has a picture of Tommy hanging on his wall.
Tom earned a PhD in counseling and in addition to his own private practice, he worked considerably with the Indian Nation near Porterville, CA. When Tom died in the car accident, the Native Americans participated in his memorial service. They respected him that much, as do we all. Porterville is not an easy place to get to but Cliff Sanders, Jim Brown, Hal Hill, Ralph Shamas, Boyce McFarland and possibly other classmates made it to his funeral. Bless you Tom for the friendship and memories you left behind ... a couple I might tell at a later date.
Roger Price
Tommy and I were friends all thru Jr. high and high school. He was a great guy, don't ever remember him not being in a good mood. We both had Cushman Eagles, his was white and mine was maroon, we were always tinkering with them to get them to go faster. You couldn't be friends with Tommy without being friends with Cliff Sanders too, which was great. Cliff was a great guy too, always fun to be around.
When I've talked with friends about my life in the 60's they can't believe the memories I have of the great times we had back then. Tommy and Cliff were part of why those times were so great.
Linda Lee Henry (Crowder)
Tommy was such a nice guy! Can't believe we that we lost him so tragically!
James A "Jim" White
Tommy was always such a fun guy, I have to tell one story about him entitled TOUGH BORDER GUARDS.
It took time to set up parents and get them to believe we were only going to Ruidoso. Of course, RALPH SHAMUS, CLIFF SANDERS and TOM SABO really intended the trip to Juarez to be the highlight of their sophomore year.
They lost the good 'rock' radio station crossing the mountains and eventually turned off the classical station, the only one their car radio would pick up. Upon arrival at the El Paso/Juarez border, the guards would not let them cross. They tried several entrances into Juarez but the guards seemed particularly intent on not letting them through.
Boy were they hacked! Did a conspiracy between their parents and the border guards exist? No, they had chosen November 22, 1963 as the day to skip school and go to Juarez. Do you remember where you were when you learned President Kennedy had been shot?
William Samuel "Bill" Sloan
Tom Sabo The Sabo’s moved into 925 Davidson Drive in the summer of 1960 in time for Tommy and I to start 7th grade at South Jr. High. We Sloan’s lived 2 houses to the south at 929. In between lived the Ross’s with the oldest son Johnny 2 grades ahead of Tommy and I and the same grade as Tommy’s brother Bobby. I am using Billy, Tommy, Bobby, Johnny, etc. as we were all called by the diminutive until high school. (Dear Patsi Hughes - please correct any of my misplaced memories.)
The Everhart’s lived on the north side of the Sabo’s. The oldest son Ronnie was a year older than Tommy, oldest daughter Diane(?) was a year younger than us. Their second son was 3 years younger. The Everhart children attended St. Peter’s Catholic schools so were not well known to our other school friends. The Hughes’ lived directly across the street and the Tuckers’ to the north of the Hughes’. Patsi Hughes and Mary Joe Tucker were a grade younger than Tommy and I.
One interesting sidelight is about 1962 the Everhart’s sponsored a teenage Cuban refugee girl who was their daughter’s age.
For Joe - I hope your father was able to tell you about Cliff Sanders, one of your father’s closest Roswell friends. Cliff lived just around the corner from us on the southeast corner of Union and Summit.
I was very glad Tommy moved to Davidson Drive as this was the 1st time a Davidson Drive boy was in the same grade as I was. We quickly started playing together at every opportunity. The Sabo’s backyard basketball hoop quickly became one of our favorite places and Bobby even deigned to play “horse” with us occasionally. The Sabo’s did not have a tree in the front yard so the neighborhood “football field” had one goal at the Everhart’s tree and the opposite goal at the Ross’s driveway. We usually played 2 hand touch but the “touch” became very hard by the end of the game in order to shorten the time devoted to “I got you!”, “No, you didn’t!”
As we moved into high school, Tom’s and my interests diverged and while remaining friends we were not as close as we were in junior high. You will have to rely on others to tell tall tales of your dad’s high school escapades! I will always remember your father as the composed, cool dude who was quick with a smile and a helping hand.
I was really glad to talk with Tom at length when we both returned for the 30th reunion. We shared stories about our families, where we had lived, and what we had been doing for the past 30 years.
As Patsi mentioned, you significantly resemble your father’s looks. I wish you the best and want you to know your father was a great friend to many of us.