Sudden death of former LJ editor shocks community

J. THOMAS DRINKARD SR.

shocks community

J. Thomas "Tommy" Drinkard, Sr., a former owner and editor of The Lincoln Journal, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, November 8, at Doctors Hospital in Augusta.

He was only 58.

Tommy loved the smell of ink - it ran in his veins.

His family owned and/or edited The Lincoln Journal almost continuously since John P. Drinkard, Sr. acquired it in 1924 from James H. Boykin. In 1960, Drinkard's son, John P. "Bubber" Drinkard, Jr., succeeded to the editorship following the death of his father. Consequently, when John Drinkard, Jr. died in 1983, his son, Tommy, took over as editor.

He was the natural successor, having worked with his father as a commercial printer since 1978.

Then, on February 25, 1988, Tommy sold the newspaper to P.S. "Sparky" Newsome, Jr., president of Wilkes Publishing Company. At the time, Tommy noted that he was a printer, not a trained journalist, and as such, devoted most of his attention to the printing part of the business. This being the case, he became dissatisfied with the "way the newspaper was going and how it was serving our area" and decided to sell the business.

However, that did not mark the end of Tommy's printing career. He went on to work for Drinkard Litho in Greenwood, South Carolina; Wilkes Publishing Co.; and Classic Printing in Lincolnton. He had just purchased Classic Printing at the time of his death.

A native of Wilkes County, Tommy had lived in Lincolnton most of his life. He was a member of Lincolnton United Methodist Church and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 194. He was also an avid LCHS Red Devil Football fan.

Regular obituary information appears on page 2.