Tom Strait:
CLASS OF 1980
Groveport Madison High SchoolClass of 1980
Groveport, OH
Tom's Story
I was very quiet during my high school days.
Some of you who remember the long haired, skinny, quiet 1970's version of myself, could possibly have thought I was a "burn out".
Please let me set the record "Strait"
I was scrawny because I liked to run, I had long hair because I was "allergic" to barber shops, and was "mysterious" because for some unknown reason, I was shy.
Came out of my shell after I graduated.
Eventually met and married my soul mate Deanna in 1984. I am truly blessed with this wonderful person, who is a daily inspiration to me! Phil Cole was my best man when Deanna and I were married. Phil was a fellow 1980 graduate who shared my appreciation for the Punk Band "The Clash" (London Calling was the best Punk Rock Album of all time and I still listen to it when I'm feeling nostalgic). Unfortunately Phil passed away in 1990. I was a pallbearer at his funeral and experienced something that makes me think there is another existence for us after we leave this world. While we pallbearers were standing by Phil's casket waiting for the hearse to pull around, a gust of wind opened the door that we had thought was latched. As the rush of air passed us, I imagined it was Phil's spirit free to go to God's Kingdom. Phil was truly one of a kind, l will never forget him as long as I live.
Kept in touch with some of my other close friends from school.
Sadly our Valedictorian Chris McKnight, who was a genius, talented runner, avid scuba diver and a great friend, passed away in 2012.
When Chris passed, some of my classmates and myself entered a cross country race in his honor. Roger Cole, Jim Klockner, and myself ran the Dr. Bender Cross Country Classic. I like to think Chris was there in spirit, shaking his head and thinking how funny it was watching his classmates running a race years after we were in our prime!
I saw some of our classmates at his memorial service, and was honored to share a few memories.
Columbus Police Officer Steven Smith, was also a 1980 Goveport graduate, I knew him from grade school through High school, we called him after his middle name of Mike, or nickname "Smitty", was killed in the line of duty in 2016. I saw many of our classmates at his memorial, and shared my memories with his friends and family. Some of you may remember that Mike was a gifted runner. Once in Middle school we had a field day competition and I signed up for the 100 yard hurdles. Lined up next to me was Mike, the starting pistol went off and it was on! Mike being the polished athlete gracefully and effortlessly hurdled, while I had a little more difficult time with them. In between the hurdles I would gain on him and this encouraged me. I could imagine myself actually winning! Unfortunately I tripped on the second to last hurdle and fell to the ground. Quickly getting up, I finished the race, and there was Mike with a big smile on his face coming back to check on me. This is the Mike Smith I fondly remember. He had the heart of a Lion, and the compassion of a Saint.
I met his son at the memorial service, he looks just like his father.
His father would be so proud of him, as he has followed in his footsteps and joined The Columbus Police Dept.
I mentioned to the family that the next race I ran would be in Mike's memory. That race was the Thad Davis Memorial 5K in Amanda, Ohio, I am not as fast as I once was, but gave it my all, and placed first in my age division. A young man came up to me after I finished to congratulate me and mentioned he noticed I pointed skyward as I crossed the finish line. "That was for Mike" I replied.
Phil, Chris, Mike and all our other classmates who have passed, will live on through our memories.
My son Aaron passed away suddenly in 2011, it was one of the toughest times in my wife's and my life. I was always so proud of my son.
He was a gifted guitarist, huge Stevie Ray Vaughn fan, excellent marksman, and a top salesman at Jeg's High Performance Center. He also loved Las Vegas and never met a stranger. I miss his laughter, his hugs, going to the shooting range with him, deep frying turkeys at Thanksgiving, as well as "wrenching" on cars.
I think about my son every day, and will ...Expand for more
for the rest of my life.
My wife and myself know we will see him again in the next life.
I am very proud of my daughter Christal, a successful entrepreneur and mother of my granddaughters.
I am absolutely blessed to have them in my life.
My brother David, a 1977 Groveport graduate passed away in 2015, he will always be my big brother, who loved riding his BMW R90S motorcycle year round, loved and owned classic cars, (some of which I would "borrow" from time to time as a teenager without his knowledge).
Beneath my brother's tough exterior is one secret I can share, he absolutely loved cats! (I'm not speaking about the Broadway musical, but the actual animals, no offense, he may have enjoyed the musical as well, I just never asked).
I am positive if heaven has a drag strip (and it will if my son and brother have anything to do with it), my brother is racing his 67 Firebird against my son's 78 Camaro, with a cat riding "shotgun" in the Firebird.
I still enjoy running and compete in races around central Ohio.
Most of the races I enter help fund Cross Country and Track programs for schools in Central Ohio.
I introduced fellow 1980 graduate Jim Klockner to running in 1988, and we have been running some of the same races for 30 years and counting. We annually run at the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival 5K,
Thad Davis Memorial 5K in Amanda Ohio, and Dog Days 5K in Circleville.
Jim calls me "Coach", but I feel he has taught me more than I have taught him, he embodies the spirit of running, he doesn't quit, and has always motivated me to keep going as well.
Over the years, I have persuaded other former Groveport athletes to run a road race with me.
Roger Cole (class of 81), my bro Steve Strait (class of 82), youngest brother Mike Strait (class of 91), Al Dellenbach (class of 80) have put on their running shoes and joined in the fun over the years. Great memories!
Who would have known after my friends talked me into joining the track team in 11th grade over 40 years ago, I would still be running and racing! Fun fact, I was so shy, I didn't really communicate to the Coach that I was a Junior when I joined the track team. I was talented enough to make varsity my second year of running track, as well as making varsity my only year of cross country. You should have seen the look on the Coach's face when he found out I was a Senior and not a Junior! He was sad I was not running for him for 1 more year. My younger brother Steve was running on the team by then, so fortunately he had another talented Strait to utilize for a couple more years.
Ran my first half marathon while still in high school in 1979. I ran this race without telling the track coach, because I didn't know I needed to, (who after the fact said he disapproved, because I could have been injured) with Roger Cole, his sister Cathy, and Al Dellenbach. Fortunately, none of us were injured, and we had a memorable experience!
Since then, have run Columbus Marathon twice, with the second one run in my son's memory. Have also participated in the Mohican Trail Run, completing over 50 miles on two occasions. I think trail running awakens my Native American DNA, on the long runs it creates a euphoria, what Indians call a "vision quest" or "runners high" as we called it in the 70's.
Completed the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) a 210 mile bicycle tour numerous times, starting in 1994, with the latest being in 2005.
Enjoy fishing and hunting.
Am very proud of my pioneer and Native American ancestry, and enjoyed researching my family history, which includes two Revolutionary War veterans (4th & 5th paternal great grandparents) who traveled with Daniel Boone in 1779.
My Native American ancestry is on my paternal side. My Great Grandmother was born in 1875, one year before The Battle of The Little Big Horn and America's centennial. She outlived 3 husbands. My great grandfather was her first husband. they had 3 children together, sadly he died in a farming accident in 1905.
I actually knew her as she lived to be over 100 years old.
Over the years, people have asked me if I am related to George Strait the country singer, the answer is yes, we are distant cousins.
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