I read on Facebook that Tom Medley passed away.I could not find it on Street Rodders website.It was on Street Rodders Facebook page.If this is true we lost truly one of the originals.
Well, sadly, its true. Tom had been hospitlized for over a week, and passed this morning. He would have been 94 on March 20. No other information has been released by his family.
NOOO! Say it isn't so! Tom is one of my all time favorite hot rod heroes. I never got to know him personally, but we spoke several times over the years... Mostly when I was a kid. I always thought I would have liked to see what he has seen, and have enjoyed Stroker McGurk since I was a small child in the seventies. It's a damn shame he's gone. Surely Hot Rod Magazine will do a large story on his career? I'll be watching for it,and it will be the first magazine I've bought in six years. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks Stu...Jack Chisenhall informed me today....Tom was an absolute Hot Rod legend, but as I've said many times, he didn't want to be! He was a genuine good person and treated everyone as if he'd known them all their life....I thank God for the time I got to spend with Tom especially during the Hot Rod Homecoming 2013 when Bill Akin and I flew out there and spent quite a bit of time with Tom at his home reminiscing about old times.........Hot Rodding has suffered a great loss and may God bless Tom and his family......Respectfully submitted, Joe Klinkhardt See related thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9572298&posted=1#post9572298 My favorite late pic of Tom...very happy at the HRH getting back his re-fired Forty.........
93+ years is quite a full life & we never will get out of this world alive, so a tip of the fedora to one of the founding fathers or this wonderful hot rod culture. I still remember one of Tom's 4 panel Stroker cartoons from decades ago which was 1) Something old 2) Something new 3) Something borrowed and 4) Something blew!!! Well if this 63 year old abused brain still has this ancient cartoon embedded in it, I would say that Tom's art had a heck of an impact on gearheads everywhere. Thanks for a great run Mr. Medley, you taught us a lot.
I feel so fortunate to have met Tom and hung out with him on several occasions. He was the real deal. He has truly made our Hot Rod world a much better place for us all. God speed Tom.
I will always cherish the 30 or so minutes I got to spend listening to him along with Tex Smith at the booth they had at Plesanton in 1998. I first saw his drawings and writing when I was 12 years old and getting rod magazines off the Bookmobile while in the 5th grade on Bainbridge Island, Wa. May he rest in peace and god bless.
Most of his Stroker McGurk cartoons are older than most HAMB members, he sure made his mark on the hobby. Rest in peace, thoughts and prayers going out to his family and friends. Bob
Tom was a great guy and will be truly missed, and to all you guys that put his Forty back together.....Thank You.. Thank You .. Thank You.....
I am at lost for words. This guy helped this young guy in the 70,s keep a sense of humour with his cartoons. We never met yet through the years of magazines and the HAMB etc he was a well respected gentleman of the hobby and way of life. Its been a pleasure to enjoy his talents. Rest in Peace Tom
Got this from Tom back in 98. Please excuse the flash reflection, I didn't want to take it out of the glass frame I keep it in. This is how I will remember him, as Stroker McGurk. "Coupes are for chickens"
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